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HJRES 206

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require that any Representative or Senator be a natural born citizen.

119th Congress Introduced by Scott Perry

Proposes a constitutional amendment requiring all Representatives and Senators to be natural born citizens, with current noncompliant members allowed to finish their terms only.

Introduced in House
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HJRES 206

Overview

  • Bill: HJRES 206
  • Session: 119 (2026)
  • Title: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require that any Representative or Senator be a natural born citizen
  • Status: Introduced July 23, 2026; referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary
  • Sponsor: Rep. Scott Perry (co-sponsor)

Purpose and intent

  • The measure proposes a constitutional amendment to require that all members of Congress (both Representatives and Senators) be natural born citizens of the United States.
  • If adopted, this would codify a stricter eligibility standard for federal legislative office than current law, which already requires Representatives to be U.S. citizens for at least seven years and Senators for at least nine years, but does not explicitly require “natural born” status.

Key provisions

  • Article I, Section 1: prohibits any person from serving as a Representative unless they are a natural born citizen.
  • Article I, Section 2: prohibits any person from serving as a Senator unless they are a natural born citizen.
  • Article I, Section 3: for individuals who, at the time of ratification, were already serving as Representatives or Senators but are not natural born citizens, they may continue to serve for the remainder of their current term but will be ineligible to serve after that term ends.
  • Ratification mechanism: the amendment becomes part of the Constitution when ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures within seven years after submission.

Who/what would be affected

  • Current and prospective members of Congress:
    • Individuals currently serving who are not natural born citizens would be allowed to complete their current terms but could not continue beyond those terms.
    • Individuals who are not natural born citizens would be barred from future service as Representatives or Senators if the amendment were ratified.
  • The broader eligibility landscape for federal legislative office would be altered to include a universal natural born citizen requirement.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Submission for consideration: The measure is submitted as a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment.
  • Approval path: Must be approved by two-thirds of both the House and the Senate, then ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures.
  • Time limit: The proposed amendment must be ratified within seven years of its submission date.
  • Current action: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary; introduced in the House on July 23, 2026.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Legal impact: The amendment would change constitutional eligibility criteria for Members of Congress and supersede any current or future interpretations that do not require “natural born” status.
  • Political and civic implications: Could affect recruitment and career trajectories for individuals seeking federal legislative office, and may trigger debates about definitions of “natural born citizen” (e.g., individuals born abroad to U.S. citizen parents, dual citizens, birthright citizenship considerations, etc.), although the text itself does not define the term beyond the phrase “natural born citizen.”
  • Transitional issues: For sitting members who are not natural born citizens, there would be a defined sunset after their current term ends. The bill does not specify potential interim accommodations beyond that.

Summary

HJRES 206 seeks to amend the U.S. Constitution to require that all Representatives and Senators be natural born citizens, with a transition rule for current members who do not meet that standard. The amendment would need extensive standard ratification within seven years.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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