Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring Members of Congress to demonstrate competence in American civics.

This joint resolution would propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would establish a requirement for Members of Congress to demonstrate competence in American civics. If enacted, this amendment would need to be ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures to become part of the Constitution.

The bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process, having been introduced in the House on January 30, 2026, and referred to committee. It has not yet been voted on by the full chamber. As a binding joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment, it would require approval by two-thirds of both the House and Senate before being sent to the states for ratification.

If ratified, this amendment would establish civics competency as a qualification for serving in Congress. The specific standards for demonstrating such competence would likely need to be determined through implementing legislation or constitutional interpretation. This would represent a significant change to congressional qualification requirements, which are currently limited by the Constitution to age, citizenship, and residency.