Summary of HJRES 121 - Constitutional Amendment on Election Financing

Overview

HJRES 121 is a joint resolution that proposes an amendment to the United States Constitution to regulate contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections. The primary intent of this amendment is to address concerns over the influence of money in the electoral process.

Key Provisions

The proposed constitutional amendment includes the following major elements:

1. Limits on Contributions: The amendment would grant Congress and the states the power to set limits on the amount of money individuals, corporations, and other entities can contribute to candidates, political parties, and groups seeking to influence elections.

2. Disclosure Requirements: It would also empower Congress and the states to require the disclosure of the sources and amounts of all contributions and expenditures made to influence elections.

3. Prohibition on Corporate Spending: The amendment would prohibit corporations from using their general treasury funds for expenditures intended to influence elections. This would overturn the Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United v. FEC.

4. Enforcement Mechanisms: The amendment directs Congress to enforce these new regulations through "appropriate legislation."

Affected Parties

If enacted, this constitutional amendment would have a significant impact on:

• Candidates for federal, state, and local elected offices
• Political parties, political action committees (PACs), and other organizations involved in election-related activities
• Corporations and other businesses that have historically made contributions or expenditures to influence elections
• Individual donors, both small and large, who contribute to political campaigns and election-related causes

Procedural Aspects

As a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment, HJRES 121 must be approved by a two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. If it passes Congress, the amendment would then need to be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures (38 out of 50 states) to be added to the U.S. Constitution.

The resolution was introduced in the House on September 11, 2025, and has a companion bill, SJRES 43, that has been introduced in the Senate. Due to the high threshold for passing a constitutional amendment, the legislative process for this bill is expected to be lengthy and complex.