Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to repeal the seventeenth article of amendment.

Bill Number

H.J.Res. 198

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Government Operations and Politics

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-06-25: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Last Updated

2026-07-09T20:40:22Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to repeal the 17th Amendment, which currently requires the direct popular election of U.S. Senators.

Key Provisions

• Section 1 repeals the 17th Amendment entirely.
• The proposed amendment would take effect upon ratification by conventions in three-fourths of the states, with a deadline of ten years from the date of submission.
• Section 2 specifies that the amendment would not impact the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• The resolution seeks to eliminate the constitutional requirement for Senators to be elected by popular vote in each state.
• This would revert the selection process for Senators to the method used before 1913, where state legislatures chose Senators.

Potential Impacts

• On government agencies: State legislatures would regain primary authority over Senator selection, potentially increasing their role in federal representation.
• On citizens: Voters would no longer directly elect Senators, shifting influence to state-level processes.
• On international relations: No direct effects are outlined in the document.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Members of Congress, particularly those in the Senate.
• State legislatures and governors.
• U.S. voters and political parties involved in Senate elections.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• This proposal requires approval by two-thirds of both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states via conventions, following standard constitutional amendment procedures.
• It would alter the federal structure by changing how one chamber of Congress is selected, without affecting the House of Representatives.
• The ten-year ratification window and non-retroactive clause limit immediate disruption to ongoing terms.

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

Sponsor

Rep. Self, Keith [R-TX-3]

Cosponsors (9)

Rep. Burlison, Eric [R-MO-7], Rep. Clyde, Andrew S. [R-GA-9], Rep. Gosar, Paul A. [R-AZ-9], Rep. Harris, Andy [R-MD-1], Rep. Perry, Scott [R-PA-10], Rep. Higgins, Clay [R-LA-3], Rep. Biggs, Sheri [R-SC-3], Rep. Cloud, Michael [R-TX-27], Rep. Spartz, Victoria [R-IN-5]

Recent Actions

• 2026-06-25: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
• 2026-06-25: Introduced in House
• 2026-06-25: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to repeal the seventeenth article of amendment. — issued 2026-06-25 — PDF (2 pages)