Section 1

Congress gets its power from the Citizens, who remain the ultimate authority. That power exists only to protect the Rights of the People through laws made with their consent.

The Citizens delegate legislative power to a Congress made up of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Serving in Congress is a high trust and Civic responsibility. Only those who have shown the ability to meet that responsibility should be eligible to hold office.

A. General Eligibility

No Person may run for Congress if they have been convicted of a felony in any State or under federal law, or if their Civic Right to hold office is currently suspended under this Charter.

A Person running for Congress must live in the State or District that they are running to represent, and must maintain their primary residency in that State or District for the duration of their service.

A Person disqualified by felony conviction may ask a special panel of the Federal Judiciary—composed of judges drawn by lot from among the sitting judges of the Circuit Courts of Appeal and the Provincial Appellate Courts, excluding all others—to restore their eligibility by showing clear and convincing evidence that the conviction was wrongful, politically motivated, or that they have demonstrated a sustained pattern of civic responsibility since their conviction.

This provision does not replace or alter the separate process for restoring Civic powers suspended under Article I.

B. Term Limits

B.1. General Limits

Members of Congress shall be limited to four full terms in the House of Representatives and two full terms in the Senate.. If elected to a partial term lasting less than half of a full term, the partial term does not count as a full term; however, anything longer than that is considered a full term. If a Member resigns their seat within ninety days of taking office, that short term does not count toward their term limits.

B.2. Combined Limit

The maximum total allowable tenure in Congress is twenty years, counting all terms, full or partial, in both chambers combined.

C. Congresses and The Legislative Day

C.1. Numbered Congresses

A numbered Congress is a two years in length, beginning at 12:01 a.m. on January 2nd in odd-numbered years, and running until 12:00 a.m. on January 2nd of the next odd-numbered year. Each Congress is numbered.

Each numbered Congress consists of two annual sessions, each of which follows the legislative year. The legislative year begins at 12:01 a.m. on January 2nd and runs until 12:00 a.m. January 2nd of the following year.

C.2. Congressional Opening

On the first day of each Congress, at 8:00 a.m. the Chief Justice will administer the congressional oath of office to a single Representative, chosen randomly by lot. That Representative will act as Acting Speaker of the House until a new Speaker is elected.

The Acting Speaker of the House will then administer the oath of office to each Representative. Similarly, the most senior Senator, determined by date of election, then birthdate, and finally alphabetical order of first, last, and other names, if necessary, will administer the oath of office to each newly elected Senator.

a. Congressional Oath

The oath of office in both chambers is the same:

“I, (full legal name), solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will uphold the Rights of the Sovereign People of the United States, who have entrusted me with this office and delegated to me the various powers that go with it. To that end, I will do my best to faithfully execute the National Charter of the United States and uphold its laws.”

Each Chamber will elect its leadership following its rules. Upon electing their leadership, the respective leaders will assign committees and chairs for those committees and will appoint or extend the appointments of the various support offices.

b. Legislative Day

A legislative day begins at 12:01 a.m. and ends at 12:00 a.m. the following day. Congress may remain in session continuously, but must recess for at least one minute between legislative days to preserve the calendar and record.

D. Attendance and Absences

Members of Congress must attend all official duties unless excused for good cause by the leadership of their chamber. Each chamber shall set fair rules for reporting and verifying such absences. Members who follow these rules in good faith are not considered in violation.

These rules ensure that Members of Congress meet the same basic expectations that apply to working Americans across the country.

D.1. In-Session Workdays

When Congress is in session, Members must work a full day of at least eight hours. Each chamber may set reasonable schedules, but the standard workday must be met.

D.2. Recess Workdays

When Congress is in recess, Members must still perform official duties. They must maintain a daily schedule focused on district service, constituent outreach, public meetings, or official oversight. The eight-hour minimum workday still applies during recess, except for approved leave. Travel to or from the Member’s district, or to official meetings or delegations, counts as part of the workday. Commuting to or from their regular office does not.

E. Constituent Engagement

Each calendar year, Members of Congress shall spend between ninety (90) and one hundred twenty (120) days in their home districts or States, engaged in public service and constituent outreach. These periods shall be scheduled in multiple recesses throughout the year, as determined by each chamber’s rules. The House and Senate must coordinate their calendars to ensure these recesses occur at the same time. Recess periods may be shortened if Members are summoned back to the Capitol by the leadership of their chamber in response to an emergency or urgent national need. All remaining weekdays—excluding designated national holidays—shall be official workdays during which Congress is in session. Reasonable exceptions for the exigencies of weather and similar events can be made, if agreed to by the combined leadership of both chambers. Saturdays and Sundays are not considered workdays unless Congress is called into special session.

F. Official Residences

Members of Congress shall maintain a furnished official residence in the Nation’s Capital whenever they are not serving their mandated district recess periods. Congress must provide each Member with a uniform residence suitable for family habitation, including no fewer than three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and living quarters. The government shall cover maintenance, furnishings, and utilities. These residences ensure Members can perform their duties in the Capital without undue hardship, while preserving their home district living arrangements. Congress may prescribe by law detailed regulations governing these residences, including eligibility, allocation procedures, and oversight mechanisms.