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SJRES 20 115th Congress Senate

A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to clarify the authority of Congress and the States to regulate corporations, limited liability companies, and other…

Official title: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to clarify the authority of Congress and the States to regulate corporations… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to clarify the authority of Congress and the States to regulate corporations, limited liability companies, and other corporate entities established by the laws of any State, the United States, or any foreign state.

Introduced: February 3, 2017 See on congress.gov
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues Constitution and constitutional amendmentsCorporate finance and managementElections, voting, political campaign regulationFirst Amendment rightsPolitical advertising
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This bill died when the 115th Congress ended
It never became law before the 115th Congress (2017–2018) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 3, 2017
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Feb 3, 2017
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action February 3, 2017

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Constitutional Amendment

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment declaring that: (1) the rights enumerated in the Constitution and other rights retained by the people are the rights of natural persons; (2) the terms "people," "person," and "citizen" as used in the Constitution do not include corporate entities established by the laws of any state, the United States, or any foreign state; and (3) corporate entities are subject to such regulation as the people, through representatives in Congress and state representatives, may determine reasonable, consistent with the powers of Congress and the states.

The amendment prohibits the Constitution from being construed to limit such rights enumerated in the Constitution and other rights retained by the people, which are unalienable.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HJRES 88 Related bill Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to clarify the authority of Congress and the States to …
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Democratic 1
D
Whitehouse, Sheldon
Rhode Island · Feb 3, 2017
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S.J. Res. 20: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to clarify the authority of Congress and the States to regulate corporations, limited liability companies, and other corporate entities established by the laws of any State, the United States, or any foreign state.. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-SJRES-20/
MLA
"S.J. Res. 20: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to clarify the authority of Congress and the States to regulate corporations, limited liability companies, and other corporate entities established by the laws of any State, the United States, or any foreign state.." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-SJRES-20/.
Bluebook (legal)
S.J. Res. 20, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-SJRES-20/.
Markdown link
[S.J. Res. 20: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to clarify the authority of Congress and the States to regulate corporations, limited liability companies, and other corporate entities established by the laws of any State, the United States, or any foreign state.](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-SJRES-20/)
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