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. Timmons, William R. [R-SC-4] · R–SC
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
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.
Source last updated: Jul 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze H.J.Res.199 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.199 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.199 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.
Examine H.J.Res.199 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.
PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2026-07-02 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 proposal would change the Constitution to let a temporary replacement serve when a U.S. House member dies. The state's chief executive would choose someone from the deceased member's list, and that person would serve until a special election fills the seat. The amendment would require ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures within seven years of submission.
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:
In the event of the death of a Representative, the chief executive of the State involved shall, not later than 10 days after the date of the death of the Representative, select an individual from the most recent list of designees provided by the Representative whose seat is now vacant, as provided by section 1, and the Speaker of the House shall immediately fill the vacancy with the individual selected. An individual designated to take the place of a Representative shall serve until another Member is elected to fill the vacancy pursuant to a special election.
This is a proposed constitutional amendment, rather than an ordinary statute. It would become part of the Constitution only if three-fourths of state legislatures ratify it within seven years after its 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:
Immediately after taking the oath of office, each elected House member would have to give the House a list of at least five possible replacements in case the member dies before the term ends. Everyone on the list would have to meet the qualifications to serve in the House.
Immediately after taking the oath of office, an individual who is elected to serve as a Representative in the House of Representatives shall provide the House of Representatives with a list of at least five designees to take the individual's place in the event the individual dies prior to the expiration of the individual’s term of office. The individual shall ensure that the list only contains the names of designees who meet the qualifications for service as a Representative in the House of Representatives.
When a House member dies, the state's chief executive would have to select a replacement from that member's most recent list within 10 days of the death. The Speaker would then have to fill the vacancy immediately with that person.
In the event of the death of a Representative, the chief executive of the State involved shall, not later than 10 days after the date of the death of the Representative, select an individual from the most recent list of designees provided by the Representative whose seat is now vacant, as provided by section 1, and the Speaker of the House shall immediately fill the vacancy with the individual selected.
The selected replacement would serve until another member is elected through a special election—an election to fill the vacant seat.
An individual designated to take the place of a Representative shall serve until another Member is elected to fill the vacancy pursuant to a special election.
During that service, the replacement would be treated as a House member under all laws, rules, and regulations. The replacement would also be subject to section 1's requirement to provide a list of qualified potential successors.
During the period of an individual’s service under section 2, the individual shall be treated as a Representative in the House of Representatives for purposes of all laws, rules, and regulations, including for purposes of section 1.
shall provide the House of Representatives with a list of at least five designees
The individual shall ensure that the list only contains the names of designees who meet the qualifications for service as a Representative in the House of Representatives.
If a selected replacement dies, the state's chief executive would have to choose the next replacement from that person's own most recent list. The Speaker would have to fill the vacancy immediately with the selected person.
In the event of the death of an individual designated under section 2, the chief executive of the State involved shall select an individual from the most recent list of designees provided by the individual designated under section 2, as provided by section 1, and the Speaker of the House shall immediately fill the vacancy with the individual selected.
The supplied official-actions snapshot, updated July 10, 2026, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Committee on the Judiciary on July 2, 2026.
Source snapshot updated 2026-07-10T15:03:12Z. 2026-07-02: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. 2026-07-02: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2026-07-02. 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 was identified in the supplied complete introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in 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 supplied complete introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version; accompanying earmark disclosures and committee materials were not supplied.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No narrow carve-out, special exemption, or preferential benefit warranting a finding was identified in the supplied complete introduced text. The succession rules implement the proposal's main policy. This conclusion does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Jul 10, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI