# 119-hjres-216: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to prohibit the use of slavery and involuntary servitude as a punishment for a crime.

119-hjres-216, Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to prohibit the use of slavery and involuntary servitude as a punishment for a crime., is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5] (D-GA); status introduced (as of 2026-09-27).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hjres-216
- As of: 2026-09-27
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hjres-216
- Congress: 119
- Title: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to prohibit the use of slavery and involuntary servitude as a punishment for a crime.
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-09-15
- Sponsor: Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5] (D-GA)
- Cosponsors: 54
- Policy area: Crime and Law Enforcement
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-27

## Summary

**Prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime.** This constitutional amendment would remove the Thirteenth Amendment's exception and make forced labor or slavery unavailable as a criminal sentence.

## Cosponsors (54)

- Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1] (D-RI), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44] (D-CA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3] (D-OH), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-6] (D-CA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8] (D-VA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2] (D-GA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2] (D-LA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35] (D-TX), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28] (D-CA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5] (D-MO), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12] (D-NJ), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9] (D-NY), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4] (D-PA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10] (D-CA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3] (D-OR), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10] (D-FL), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4] (D-IL), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4] (D-NV), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2] (D-CA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1] (D-IL), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37] (D-CA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2] (D-IL), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8] (D-IL), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lee, Susie [D-NV-3] (D-NV), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12] (D-PA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8] (D-MA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] (D-NY), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4] (D-VA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4] (D-WI), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6] (D-MA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5] (D-MN), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-19] (D-CA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Peters, Scott H. [D-CA-50] (D-CA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1] (D-ME), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7] (D-MA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5] (D-IL), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3] (D-IL), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24] (D-FL), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5] (D-PA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9] (D-IL), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7] (D-AL), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1] (D-NM), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39] (D-CA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3] (D-MA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14] (D-IL), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36] (D-CA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [D-FL-25] (D-FL), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1] (D-WA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1] (D-CO), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17] (D-PA), 2026-09-15T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025
- 119-hr-15: Equality Act
- 119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025
- 119-hr-2763: American Family Act
- 119-hr-17: Paycheck Fairness Act

## Sources
- [119-hjres-216 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-joint-resolution/216)

## Related
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-20: Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-20)
- [119-hr-15: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-15)
- [119-hr-1589: American Dream and Promise Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1589)
- [119-hr-2763: American Family Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2763)
- [119-hr-17: Paycheck Fairness Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-17)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hjres-216 (as of 2026-09-27).