Reaffirming the Twenty-second Amendment.

Bill Number: H.Res. 171
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Government Operations and Politics
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2025-02-27: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Last Updated: 2025-05-02T08:06:35Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

This House Resolution (H. Res. 171) aims to reaffirm the Twenty-second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which limits a president to two terms in office. It responds to public statements by former and current President Donald Trump suggesting the possibility of serving more than two terms, emphasizing the amendment's ongoing validity and application.

Key Provisions

Background Clauses ("Whereas" Sections): The resolution lists multiple instances from 2018 to 2025 where President Trump made comments or shared content implying he might seek to extend his presidency beyond two terms, such as joking about "President for life," musing about three or more terms, questioning term limits, or referencing a "redo" due to alleged spying on his campaign. It also mentions advocacy from a Project 2025 contributor to repeal the amendment and Trump's responses to concerns about dictatorship.
Resolution Clause: The House of Representatives formally:
Reaffirms that the Twenty-second Amendment limits eligibility to two terms in total (aggregate) as president.
Reaffirms that this prohibits President Trump from running for another term.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This resolution introduces no changes to existing law. As a non-binding House resolution, it serves as a declarative statement rather than enforceable legislation. The Twenty-second Amendment, ratified in 1951, remains unchanged and continues to prohibit any person from being elected president more than twice.

Potential Impacts

On Government Agencies: Minimal direct impact, but it may reinforce the role of Congress in upholding constitutional norms, potentially influencing oversight or impeachment discussions related to executive actions.
On Citizens: Could strengthen public awareness and confidence in constitutional term limits, discouraging any perceived challenges to democratic norms and promoting civic education on presidential eligibility.
On International Relations: Indirect and symbolic; it signals U.S. commitment to democratic principles like term limits, which might reassure allies or contrast with authoritarian models referenced in the cited statements (e.g., China's leadership).

Main Stakeholders Affected

President Donald Trump: Directly named, as the resolution explicitly prohibits him from seeking another term under the Twenty-second Amendment.
Members of Congress: The House as a body, particularly the Judiciary Committee to which it was referred; it involves Republican and Democratic members in debates over constitutional adherence.
American Citizens and Voters: Broadly affected through reinforcement of electoral rules that prevent indefinite presidencies.
Political Parties: Republicans (given Trump's affiliation) and Democrats, as it could shape party platforms, fundraising, and internal discussions on leadership succession.
Advocacy Groups: Organizations like those behind Project 2025 or constitutional watchdogs, whose positions on term limits are referenced.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal/Constitutional: Reinforces the binding nature of the Twenty-second Amendment without ambiguity—terms are counted in aggregate (e.g., non-consecutive terms still count toward the limit). It has no legal force to enforce eligibility but could be cited in future court challenges to candidacy filings.
Political: As a partisan measure introduced by Rep. Goldman (D-NY), it highlights divisions over Trump's rhetoric, potentially escalating tensions within Congress or the Republican Party. It underscores the House's role in checking executive overreach symbolically, amid broader debates on democracy and authoritarianism, but risks being viewed as politically motivated rather than neutral constitutional affirmation.

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

Sponsor

Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]

Cosponsors (28)

Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15], Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37], Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50], Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10], Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Olszewski, Johnny [D-MD-2], Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13], Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21], Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Morrison, Kelly [D-MN-3], Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6], Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8], Rep. Johnson, Julie [D-TX-32], Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1], Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7], Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16], Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2], Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9]

Recent Actions

2025-02-27: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
2025-02-27: Submitted in House

Bill Versions

Reaffirming the Twenty-second Amendment. — issued 2025-02-27 — PDF (4 pages)