Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States regarding the permissible sources of funding for elections for public office and State ballot measures.
Latest action. Referred to the subcommitteeA smaller panel inside a standing committee with jurisdiction over a slice of its subject matter. Most hearings and the first markup usually happen here.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) on the Constitution, civil rightsProtections against discrimination and guarantees of equal participation, usually enforced by statute. Civil liberties are freedoms from government interference.Read the full definition (opens a new tab), and Civil Liberties.
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that limits the permissible sources of funding for elections to public office and state ballot measures. Specifically, funding to support or oppose a campaign for election to public office may only be provided through (1) contributions by individual citizens to the principal campaign committee controlled by the candidate, or (2) a public election financing or voter education system. Funding to support or oppose a state ballot measure may only be provided through (1) contributions by individuals eligible to vote on the measure, or (2) through a public election financing or voter education system.
Congress, the states, and local jurisdictions must establish contribution limits.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on July 18, 2019. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
3 steps remain before this amendment could become part of the Constitution. Congress only proposes an amendment; it cannot enact one, and the President has no part in it.
The record's latest action, on July 30, 2019: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
- A two-thirds vote in the House
- A two-thirds vote in the Senate
- Ratification by three quarters of the states, which is 38 of the 50
What would it take to amend the Constitution?
This is a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution, which follows Article V rather than the ordinary path a bill takes. Two thirds of the House and two thirds of the Senate have to agree, and a simple majority is not enough.
It is then never sent to the President, who has no role in amending the Constitution. It goes to the states, and three quarters of them, 38 of the 50, have to ratify it before it takes effect.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
Jerry McNerney (D-CA) introduced it on July 18, 2019, and 2 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They are 2 Democrats.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on July 18, 2019, 2611 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 2599 days ago, on July 30, 2019.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 116th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2021 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers