Rep. Summer Lee, Colleagues Introduce Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Citizens United

Photos | Press Conference | Bill Text 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – SEPTEMBER 17, 2025 — Today, on Constitution Day, Congresswoman Summer L. Lee (PA-12), Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), Congressman Joe Neguse (CO-02), and Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02) introduced a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United v. FEC and rein in corporate influence in American politics. 

The amendment would restore Congress’s and states’ authority to set reasonable limits on political spending, distinguish between the rights of people and corporations, allow for public financing of campaigns, and protect freedom of the press in campaign finance reforms. 

"Some say the beginning of the collapse of our democracy was when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Citizens United, giving the green light to corporations and billionaires to pour hundreds of millions into our elections and drown out the voices of everyday people. At the root of why we cannot make progress on so many urgent policies is a system where money speaks louder than people,” said Rep. Lee. “The Citizens Over Corporations Amendment is about changing that. It is about putting power back where it belongs, with the people, so we can build a government that works for all of us, not just the wealthy few and their corporate interests." 

“The Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United opened the door for corporations to pour billions of dollars of dark money into elections. This anonymous and unrestricted spending cripples transparency in the political process and weakens our democracy. Our amendment will keep big money out of politics and restore power where it should belong — with the American people,” said Senator Schiff.   

“The time to confront political corruption and clean up government is now,” said Rep. Neguse. “The Citizens Over Corporations Amendment works to renew people’s faith in our democracy by ensuring transparency through campaign finance reform and preventing unrestrained spending and dark money in elections.” 

“Elon Musk poured millions into electing Donald Trump and then used the influence he bought to fire federal workers, dismantle USAID, and strip health care from millions,” said Congressman McGovern. "Citizens United gives billionaires like Musk even more power to rig the system for the well-off and well-connected. That’s not a democracy—it’s an auction. I’m proud to support the Citizens Over Corporations Amendment, which will overturn Citizens United, get big money out of politics, and put power back where it belongs—in the hands of the people." 

The proposed Constitutional amendment will:   

• Make clear the Constitution does not restrict the ability of Congress or states to set reasonable, viewpoint-neutral limitations on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections   
• Distinguishes between natural persons, corporations, or other artificial entities, including by allowing Congress or the State to prohibit such entities from spending money to influence elections  
• Allow public financing of campaigns when states choose to enact such laws, which can restrict the influence of corporate or private wealth  
• Take further steps to protect the freedom of the press in the case of future campaign finance-related legislation. 

The bill is endorsed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Democracy Defenders Action, Public Citizen, End Citizens United, People for the American Way, and Free Speech For People.   

"Since the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v FEC 15 years ago, unlimited and untraceable money has flowed from the pockets of corporations and the ultra-wealthy into political campaigns", said Stuart McPhail, Director of Campaign Finance Litigation, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). "In the 2024 federal election cycle alone, over $2.7 billion was funneled through super PACs to various political campaigns. This dark money corrodes our democracy by allowing corporations and billionaires to hide their identities while greatly influencing elections and policy. CREW is proud to endorse the constitutional amendment introduced by Senator Schiff and Representatives Neguse, McGovern, and Lee to overturn Citizens United and ensure that the voices of average citizens are not drowned out by moneyed interests."  

"Democracy Defenders Action wholeheartedly endorses Sen. Adam Schiff and Reps. Joe Neguse, Jim McGovern, and Summer Lee's constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United," said Virginia Canter, Ethics and Anticorruption Chief Counsel and Director, Democracy Defenders Action. "This crucial step will ensure that all Americans, not just the super-rich and corporations, have an equal voice in our elections--and true representation in our democracy." 

“Citizens United has turned our democracy into a government that serves the ultra-wealthy. Political spending by billionaires has surged an astonishing 160-fold since the 2010 Supreme Court decision, and working families are paying the price like never before as self-enriching politicians bankroll tax breaks for their biggest donors. Senator Schiff’s amendment is a bold and commonsense step to reclaim government for the people. We applaud his leadership to challenge the billionaire class, fight corruption in Washington, and get Big Money out of politics,” said Tiffany Muller, President, End Citizens United. 

“Citizens United destroyed our nation’s safeguards against the undue influence of money in politics. For 15 years now, dark money has flowed freely, allowing the rich and powerful even more influence over our elections. This amendment is essential to preventing that continuing assault on the integrity of our elections. People For the American Way is proud to support this amendment as we work toward building a democracy truly of, by, and for the people,” said Svante Myrick, President, People For the American Way. 

“The vast majority of Americans want the real voices of real people to matter more than the money that corporations and the super-rich funnel into our political system. The devastating Citizens United decision 15 years ago dramatically altered the landscape of our politics—unleashing a flood of cash and deepening the outrage that regular people feel at the inequities baked into our democracy. We must overturn this decision. Senator Schiff, and Reps. Joe Neguse, Jim McGovern, and Summer Lee have remained focused and continue pushing for a constitutional amendment to do just that. Public Citizen strongly supports their efforts,” said Lisa Gilbert, Co-President, Public Citizen.  

Rep. Lee has been leading the fight to get big money out of politics. She introduced the Abolish Super PACs Act, which would place strict limits on contributions to Super PACs essentially shutting down a vehicle that allows unlimited outside spending in federal elections. She also helped introduce the OLIGARCH Act, or the “Oppose Limitless Inequality Growth and Reverse Community Harms Act,” designed to curb extreme wealth concentration and rein in the outsized political power of ultra-wealthy individuals. Most recently, she convened a public roundtable at Carnegie Mellon University called The Many Over the Money: Roundtable on Money in Politics, where she and advocates discussed abolishing Super PACs, overturning Citizens United, and stopping multinational corporate political spending in elections. 

A fact sheet on the legislation can be found here. 

Full text of the bill is available here. 

Congresswoman Summer Lee serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Accountability and the Committee on Education and Workforce. Since taking office in January 2023, she has delivered historic levels of federal investment totaling over $2.4 Billion brought back to Western PA, including over $580 million for infrastructure, over $110 million for affordable transit, over $500 million to keep clean energy manufacturing at home in Pennsylvania, and over $55 million on clean energy efforts in and around schools to help keep our kids and communities safe. These investments will help improve Western Pennsylvania’s infrastructure and transit, ensure cleaner air and drinking water, lower housing costs, fund research institutions, fuel clean manufacturing, fund STEM innovation and entrepreneurship, boost workforce development, and create thousands of good paying union jobs.  Lee and her team have also delivered casework and constituent services to over 3,000 constituents with issues ranging from helping our seniors and disabled community access Medicare and social security to helping folks secure housing and helping families with immigration support and passports.