[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S.J. Res. 33 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. J. RES. 33

  Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to 
  expressly exclude for-profit corporations from the rights given to 
  natural persons by the Constitution of the United States, prohibit 
   corporate spending in all elections, and affirm the authority of 
 Congress and the States to regulate corporations and to regulate and 
       set limits on all election contributions and expenditures.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            December 8, 2011

Mr. Sanders (for himself and Mr. Begich) introduced the following joint 
 resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
  Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to 
  expressly exclude for-profit corporations from the rights given to 
  natural persons by the Constitution of the United States, prohibit 
   corporate spending in all elections, and affirm the authority of 
 Congress and the States to regulate corporations and to regulate and 
       set limits on all election contributions and expenditures.

    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 when 
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States 
within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:

                              ``Article--

    ``Section 1. The rights protected by the Constitution of the United 
States are the rights of natural persons and do not extend to for-
profit corporations, limited liability companies, or other private 
entities established for business purposes or to promote business 
interests under the laws of any state, the United States, or any 
foreign state.
    ``Section 2. Such corporate and other private entities established 
under law are subject to regulation by the people through the 
legislative process so long as such regulations are consistent with the 
powers of Congress and the States and do not limit the freedom of the 
press.
    ``Section 3. Such corporate and other private entities shall be 
prohibited from making contributions or expenditures in any election of 
any candidate for public office or the vote upon any ballot measure 
submitted to the people.
    ``Section 4. Congress and the States shall have the power to 
regulate and set limits on all election contributions and expenditures, 
including a candidate's own spending, and to authorize the 
establishment of political committees to receive, spend, and publicly 
disclose the sources of those contributions and expenditures.''.
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