[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 72 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. J. RES. 72

 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States with 
 respect to the compelling of testimony from a defendant in a criminal 
   case in open court, a restriction on the use of prior convictions 
except when they are an element of the crime charged, and the right of 
 a defendant in a criminal case to be informed of the evidence against 
                             the defendant.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 26, 1993

    Mr. Jacobs introduced the following joint resolution; which was 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States with 
 respect to the compelling of testimony from a defendant in a criminal 
   case in open court, a restriction on the use of prior convictions 
except when they are an element of the crime charged, and the right of 
 a defendant in a criminal case to be informed of the evidence against 
                             the defendant.

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House 
concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an 
amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be 
valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution only if 
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States 
within seven years from the date of its submission by the Congress:

                              ``Article--

    ``Section 1. The fifth article of amendment to the Constitution of 
the United States is amended by inserting immediately after `nor shall 
be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself' the 
following: `except in open court; nor be confronted with prior criminal 
convictions except where they are an element of the crime charged'.
    ``Section 2. The sixth article of amendment to the Constitution of 
the United States is amended by striking out `and to be informed of the 
nature and cause of the accusation' and inserting in lieu thereof `and 
to be informed of the nature, cause, and evidence of the 
accusation'.''.

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