Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to ensure that only citizens are eligible to vote in Federal elections.

Bill Number

H.J.Res. 152

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Government Operations and Politics

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-03-19: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Last Updated

2026-06-09T08:06:46Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

This joint resolution (H.J. Res. 152) proposes a constitutional amendment to explicitly restrict voting in federal elections to U.S. citizens only, aiming to clarify and constitutionalize eligibility rules for such elections.

Key Provisions

• Section 1: Limits voting eligibility to U.S. citizens in any primary or general election for President, Vice President, presidential electors, Senators, or Representatives in Congress.
• Section 2: Requires each state legislature to enact laws to enforce the amendment, while allowing Congress to modify or override these state laws. Congress also gains authority to enforce the amendment through legislation specifically for the District of Columbia (the federal seat of government).

The amendment would become part of the Constitution upon ratification by conventions in three-fourths of the states, following approval by two-thirds of both the House and Senate.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Current federal law (e.g., under the Help America Vote Act and other statutes) already restricts federal voting to citizens, but this is not explicitly stated in the Constitution. This amendment would embed the restriction directly into the Constitution, making it immune to simple legislative repeal and superseding any conflicting state laws.
• It introduces a federal override mechanism for state enforcement rules, potentially centralizing more control over election administration compared to the current decentralized system under the Elections Clause (Article I, Section 4) of the Constitution.

Potential Impacts

• On Government Agencies: State election officials and Congress would need to implement new verification processes, such as enhanced citizenship checks, which could increase administrative costs and burdens on agencies like the Federal Election Commission.
• On Citizens: U.S. citizens would have their voting rights reaffirmed in federal elections, but it might lead to stricter ID or documentation requirements at polls, potentially affecting turnout among eligible voters who face barriers.
• On Non-Citizens: Legal residents (e.g., green card holders) and other non-citizens would be explicitly barred from federal voting, closing any loopholes in states that might currently allow local non-citizen voting.
• On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it could signal a stronger U.S. stance on citizenship and immigration in diplomatic contexts.

Main Stakeholders

• U.S. Citizens: Primary beneficiaries as voters in federal elections, including political parties and advocacy groups focused on election integrity.
• Non-Citizen Residents: Including immigrants and permanent residents, who would face reinforced exclusion from federal voting.
• State Governments and Election Officials: Responsible for initial enforcement, potentially facing new compliance requirements.
• Congress: Gains expanded enforcement powers, affecting lawmakers and committees like the House Judiciary Committee (where the resolution was referred).
• Civil Rights Organizations: Groups advocating for or against voting access, such as those focused on immigrant rights or electoral reform.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Constitutional: As an amendment, it would require a high bar for ratification (two-thirds congressional approval and three-fourths state conventions), bypassing the standard legislative process. It builds on existing constitutional voting provisions (e.g., 15th, 19th, 24th, and 26th Amendments) by adding a citizenship floor, but could invite challenges under equal protection principles if enforcement disproportionately affects certain groups.
• Legal: Empowers Congress to standardize enforcement nationwide, potentially leading to new federal laws on voter registration and ID, while states retain some flexibility unless overridden. This might reduce litigation over state-specific rules but increase disputes over implementation fairness.
• Political: Could intensify debates on immigration, voting rights, and election security, influencing partisan dynamics in Congress and state legislatures. If ratified, it would make the citizenship requirement a permanent fixture, harder to alter than current statutes.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Lee, Laurel M. [R-FL-15]

Cosponsors (10)

Rep. Gooden, Lance [R-TX-5], Rep. Fry, Russell [R-SC-7], Rep. Letlow, Julia [R-LA-5], Rep. Haridopolos, Mike [R-FL-8], Rep. Hunt, Wesley [R-TX-38], Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1], Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6], Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2], Rep. Fuller, Clay [R-GA-14], Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3]

Recent Actions

• 2026-03-19: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
• 2026-03-19: Introduced in House
• 2026-03-19: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to ensure that only citizens are eligible to vote in Federal elections. — issued 2026-03-19 — PDF (2 pages)