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House Proposal Explores National Referendum Constitutional Amendment
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Key points
- House members filed HJ Res 220 during the 119th Congress to propose a national referendum constitutional amendment.
- Amending the US Constitution requires approval by two-thirds of both congressional chambers and ratification by three-fourths of the states.
- Official congressional repositories have not yet published the resolution’s sponsor, full text, or committee assignment.
NewsWK — Lawmakers in the House of Representatives introduced a new joint resolution that could reshape how federal policy gets decided. The measure seeks to give citizens a direct voice on national issues across the country.
What would a national referendum constitutional amendment do for American voters?
A national referendum constitutional amendment would establish a direct voting mechanism for citizens across the United States. But this new measure proposes a formal framework for direct nationwide voting. Therefore, approving such a change would fundamentally alter federal lawmaking.
The constitutional process for passing this proposal requires four key stages:
- Approval by two-thirds of the House of Representatives
- Approval by two-thirds of the Senate
- Transmission to state legislatures for review
- Ratification by three-fourths of the states
What is the current status of HJ Res 220 in Congress?
House members officially filed the proposal as HJ Res 220 during the current 2025–2026 legislative session. Federal publication records confirm the measure originated in the House of Representatives. However, official congressional databases have not yet published the full text or assigned the bill to a standing committee.
How does a proposed US constitutional amendment move forward?
Under Article V of the US Constitution, proposed changes must clear high hurdles. First, supporters must build supermajorities in both congressional chambers. the states under Article V of the Constitution Because of these strict constitutional requirements, broad political support remains necessary for any proposal.
What details remain unconfirmed about this 119th Congress national referendum proposal?
Public federal databases do not yet list key procedural details about the resolution. For example, official records do not identify the primary sponsor or any cosponsors. Also, officials have not yet released the specific criteria required to trigger a US national referendum process.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
Sources
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