PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Congressional Research Service
No official summary is available in the imported record yet.
People & committees
Rep. Mace, Nancy [R-SC-1] · R–SC
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Jul 1, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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Analyze H.J.Res.194 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine H.J.Res.194 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine H.J.Res.194 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2026-06-03 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment requiring members of Congress, federal judges, the President and Vice President, and specified other federal officers to formally and permanently give up foreign citizenship, nationality, or allegiance to serve. The restrictions would begin after ratification, on different schedules for different offices, with delayed application for senators already serving a term.
No person who has citizenship or nationality of, or otherwise owes allegiance to, a country other than the United States may serve as a Representative in the Congress unless the person formally and permanently relinquishes such citizenship, nationality, or allegiance.
No person who has citizenship or nationality of, or otherwise owes allegiance to, a country other than the United States may serve as a Senator in the Congress unless the person formally and permanently relinquishes such citizenship, nationality, or allegiance.
No person who has citizenship or nationality of, or otherwise owes allegiance to, a country other than the United States may serve as a Judge of the Supreme Court or any inferior court unless the person formally and permanently relinquishes such citizenship, nationality, or allegiance.
No person who has citizenship or nationality of, or otherwise owes allegiance to, a country other than the United States may serve as an Ambassador, public Minister or Consul, or any other officer of the United States which requires the advice and consent of the Senate unless the person formally and permanently relinquishes such citizenship, nationality, or allegiance.
No person who has citizenship or nationality of, or otherwise owes allegiance to, a country other than the United States may serve as President or Vice President unless the person formally and permanently relinquishes such citizenship, nationality, or allegiance.
This section shall take effect on the 3rd day of January on the first odd number calendar year following the ratification of this article and shall apply to any Senator serving a term of office on such date beginning on the date on which such term ends.
This section shall take effect on the date that is six months following the ratification of this article.
This section shall take effect at noon on the 20th day of January with respect to the first term of office that begins following the ratification of this article.
The resolution proposes a constitutional amendment, not an ordinary statute. Its stated condition for becoming part of the Constitution is ratification—formal approval—by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states within seven years after submission for ratification.
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:
Section 1 would prohibit a person from serving in the House of Representatives while retaining foreign citizenship, nationality, or allegiance, unless formally and permanently relinquished. It would take effect January 3 of the first odd-numbered calendar year following ratification.
1. No person who has citizenship or nationality of, or otherwise owes allegiance to, a country other than the United States may serve as a Representative in the Congress unless the person formally and permanently relinquishes such citizenship, nationality, or allegiance. This section shall take effect on the 3rd day of January on the first odd number calendar year following the ratification of this article.
Section 2 would impose the same relinquishment requirement on senators. It would take effect January 3 of the first odd-numbered calendar year following ratification, but for senators serving a term on that date, the restriction would apply only when that term ends.
2. No person who has citizenship or nationality of, or otherwise owes allegiance to, a country other than the United States may serve as a Senator in the Congress unless the person formally and permanently relinquishes such citizenship, nationality, or allegiance. This section shall take effect on the 3rd day of January on the first odd number calendar year following the ratification of this article and shall apply to any Senator serving a term of office on such date beginning on the date on which such term ends.
Section 3 would require Supreme Court and lower federal court judges to formally and permanently relinquish foreign citizenship, nationality, or allegiance to serve. It would take effect six months after ratification.
3. No person who has citizenship or nationality of, or otherwise owes allegiance to, a country other than the United States may serve as a Judge of the Supreme Court or any inferior court unless the person formally and permanently relinquishes such citizenship, nationality, or allegiance. This section shall take effect on the date that is six months following the ratification of this article.
Section 4 would impose the relinquishment requirement on ambassadors, public ministers and consuls—diplomatic and consular officers—and other federal officers whose appointments require Senate approval, called “advice and consent.” It would take effect six months after ratification.
4. No person who has citizenship or nationality of, or otherwise owes allegiance to, a country other than the United States may serve as an Ambassador, public Minister or Consul, or any other officer of the United States which requires the advice and consent of the Senate unless the person formally and permanently relinquishes such citizenship, nationality, or allegiance. This section shall take effect on the date that is six months following the ratification of this article.
Section 5 would require the President and Vice President to formally and permanently relinquish foreign citizenship, nationality, or allegiance to serve. It would take effect at noon on January 20 for the first term beginning after ratification.
5. No person who has citizenship or nationality of, or otherwise owes allegiance to, a country other than the United States may serve as President or Vice President unless the person formally and permanently relinquishes such citizenship, nationality, or allegiance. This section shall take effect at noon on the 20th day of January with respect to the first term of office that begins following the ratification of this article.
The supplied official-actions snapshot, updated July 1, 2026, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Judiciary Committee on June 3, 2026.
Source snapshot updated 2026-07-01T14:04:33Z. 2026-06-03: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. 2026-06-03: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2026-06-03. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion does not extend to other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion does not establish the absence of earmarks in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
Findings to examine
The supplied text contains a narrow transition exception within its main policy. Classification as a targeted benefit does not imply an improper purpose.
Senators serving a term when Section 2 takes effect would receive delayed application of the foreign citizenship, nationality, or allegiance restriction until that term ends. This is a temporary exception for incumbent senators within the proposed eligibility policy.
2. No person who has citizenship or nationality of, or otherwise owes allegiance to, a country other than the United States may serve as a Senator in the Congress unless the person formally and permanently relinquishes such citizenship, nationality, or allegiance. This section shall take effect on the 3rd day of January on the first odd number calendar year following the ratification of this article and shall apply to any Senator serving a term of office on such date beginning on the date on which such term ends.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Jul 1, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI