Bill Details
Status
Latest action
2025-01-09 - Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced Date
2025-01-09
Policy Area
Government Operations and Politics
Committees
View committees (1)
Sponsors
Cosponsors
8
0
0
AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that would lower the voting age in the United States to 16. It would repeal the current constitutional rule that sets the voting age at 18 and replace it with a new rule saying that citizens age 16 or older cannot be denied the right to vote because of their age. If approved by Congress and then ratified by enough states, this change would become part of the Constitution. Congress would also have the power to pass laws to help enforce the new voting rule.
- It would remove the existing constitutional amendment that currently protects voting rights for 18-year-olds and older.
- It would give the right to vote to U.S. citizens who are 16 or 17 years old, as well as older citizens.
- The proposed amendment would need approval from three-fourths of the states within seven years to take effect.
- Congress would be able to pass laws to carry out and enforce this change.
Official Summaries
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to lower the minimum age for the right to vote from 18 to 16.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 16 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. J. RES. 16
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States
extending the right to vote to citizens sixteen years of age or older.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 9, 2025
Ms. Meng (for herself, Mr. Casten, Ms. Bonamici, Ms. Pressley, Ms.
Schakowsky, Mr. Mullin, and Ms. Tlaib) submitted the following joint
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States
extending the right to vote to citizens sixteen years of age or older.
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 twenty-sixth article of amendment to the
Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.
``Section 2. The right of citizens of the United States, who are
sixteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged
by the United States or by any State on account of age.
``Section 3. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article
by appropriate legislation.''.
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