Bills · HJRES 4
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House Joint Res.HJRES 4SenateConstitution and constitutional amendments
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to provide that debate upon legislation pending before the Senate may not be brought to a close without the concurrence of a minimum of three-fifths of the Senators.
INTRO JAN 3· LAST ACTION JAN 3
READING
1MIN
COSPONSORS
4BIPARTISAN
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it attempts to make a key Senate procedure, often called the "filibuster," a permanent part of the U.S. Constitution. If it passes, it would mean that unless all senators agree, most bills would need the support of 60 senators just to stop debate and allow a vote, making it significantly more difficult for a simple majority to pass laws.
This could lead to either more compromise and bipartisan legislation, as the majority would need to win over members of the opposing party, or more legislative deadlock, as a minority could more easily obstruct the majority's agenda. If it doesn't pass, future Senates would still have the power to change the rules for ending debate with a simple majority vote, which is a frequent topic of political discussion.
KEY PROVISIONS
4AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Proposes an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Constitutional amendments are rare and make changes extremely difficult to reverse, ensuring a high level of permanence.
PROVISION 02
Requires three-fifths (60) of all Senators to agree to end debate on most legislation before a final vote.
This would permanently enshrine the 60-vote threshold for 'cloture' (ending debate) in the Constitution, making it a fundamental part of Senate operations.
PROVISION 03
Excludes presidential nominations from this three-fifths requirement.
This ensures that presidential appointments could still be approved with a simple majority vote to end debate, aligning with current Senate practices for many nominations.
PROVISION 04
Acknowledges that existing laws as of January 3, 2025, or unanimous consent, could also close debate.
This clarifies that the 3/5ths rule wouldn't be the only way to end debate, but the primary supermajority requirement for non-unanimous actions.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 4
R· Pennsylvania
YRS IN OFFICE
9
BILLS LED
86
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 50%
DEM 3 REP 1 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
3 EVENTSJAN 3
Introduced in House
JAN 3
Introduced in House
JAN 3
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Joint Resolution
NumberHJRES 4
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedJan 3, 2025
Last actionJan 3, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · JUDICIARY COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED JAN 3, 2025
House Joint Res.HJRES 4SenateConstitution and constitutional amendments
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to provide that debate upon legislation pending before the Senate may not be brought to a close without the concurrence of a minimum of three-fifths of the Senators.
INTRODUCED JAN 3, 2025· LAST ACTION JAN 3, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
1 min
COSPONSORS
4
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
