IN SUPPORT OF A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO UNDO THE SUPREME COURT'S CITIZENS UNITED AND MCCUTCHEON DECISIONS

WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court has granted corporations the status of persons, and with this status the same protections guaranteed to living humans by the Constitution and Bill of Rights; and

WHEREAS, the Supreme Court has also granted money the status of speech; and

WHEREAS, neither the idea that corporations are people nor that money is speech is mentioned anywhere in the text of the Constitution; and

WHEREAS, in Citizens United v. FEC, the Supreme Court decided that limiting the amount corporations can spend to influence elections is a violation of the "free speech rights" of "people," and therefore unconstitutional; and

WHEREAS, in McCutcheon v. FEC, the Supreme Court decided that limiting the aggregate amount wealthy individuals can spend on political races is a violation of their "free speech rights" under the First Amendment; and

WHEREAS, the only way to permanently reverse the damage done by these decisions is to amend the Constitution; and

WHEREAS, an important first step toward this goal is for organizations and communities across the country to publicly state their support of this course of action; and

WHEREAS, across the country nearly 500 communities, local governments and organizations have called for such an amendment:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers will call for amending the United States Constitution to make clear that corporations are not persons and that money is not speech; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will work to educate its members about this issue and the need for a constitutional amendment; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT will notify all members of Congress, all state governors, and the president of the United States of the passage of this resolution, and request that they go on record in support of such an amendment.