Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require that certain individuals are natural born citizens.

Overview

HJRES 188, introduced in the 119th Congress, is a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment regarding eligibility for certain presidential or other federal offices. The bill is a constitutional amendment, not a statute, meaning if enacted, it would require passage by both houses of Congress and ratification by the states to become part of the U.S. Constitution.

Purpose and intent

• The core aim is to require that certain individuals be natural born citizens. As a proposed constitutional amendment, the text would establish criteria related to citizenship status for individuals in specified roles or eligibility.
• The exact scope (e.g., whether it applies to the presidency, other high offices, or broader categories) is determined by the precise language in the amendment text. The bill’s sponsor indicates a focus on natural-born citizenship as a constitutional qualification.

Key provisions (summary of typical elements in a natural-born citizenship amendment)

• Constitutional amendment text: Proposes changes to Article II or related sections to define who qualifies as a natural-born citizen for the purposes of the specified office(s).
• Eligibility criteria: Likely to set that only individuals meeting the natural-born citizen requirement (as defined by the amendment) may hold the affected office(s).
• Implementation timeline: Constitutional amendments become effective only after ratification by the required number of states; the bill would outline any transition rules if applicable.
• Supersession of existing law: Depending on the amendment’s language, it would supersede conflicting statute or interpretation regarding eligibility.

Note: The exact provisions depend on the full text of the proposed amendment. The summary here reflects the general form and typical components of a natural-born citizen eligibility amendment.

Who would be affected

• Individuals seeking eligibility for the offices covered by the amendment (likely the presidency and/or other high constitutional roles) would be directly impacted, subject to the precise scope defined in the amendment.
• Existing officeholders or candidates would be affected only if the amendment is ratified and its provisions retroactively or prospectively apply, per the text.
• Federal and state election officials would implement the eligibility criteria once the amendment is ratified.

Procedural and timeline aspects

• Introduction: The bill was introduced in the House and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary on May 20, 2026.
• Sponsor: Co-sponsored by Rep. Nancy Mace.
• Legislative path: As a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment, it must: 1) Pass both the House and Senate. 2) Be sent to the states for ratification, with the standard requirement of three-fourths (38) of the states approving. 3) Take effect only upon ratification.
• Until ratified, the amendment has no impact on current law or eligibility.

Additional notes

• This summary reflects the bill’s stated purpose as a proposed constitutional amendment to require natural-born citizenship for certain individuals. For precise eligibility criteria, definitions, and any transitional rules, the exact text of HJRES 188 should be consulted once available.