New Act Bans Dual Citizens from Congress: Eligibility Restricted for House and Senate Seats

The “Disqualifying Dual Loyalty Act of 2025” is short, but it packs a serious punch regarding who can run for federal office. This bill, specifically Section 2, states that if you are running for the U.S. House of Representatives or the Senate, you are ineligible if you hold citizenship or national status in any country other than the United States. This rule holds even if you are already a recognized U.S. national. Essentially, it creates a new, strict requirement: to serve in Congress, you must be a citizen of the U.S. and only the U.S.

The New Citizenship Litmus Test

Currently, the U.S. Constitution sets out three simple requirements for serving in Congress: age, length of U.S. citizenship, and residency in the state you represent. This bill adds a fourth, unwritten rule that has massive implications for millions of Americans. If you were born in Canada to American parents, or if you became a naturalized U.S. citizen but retained your citizenship from your country of birth—a common practice—this bill disqualifies you from ever seeking a seat in the House or Senate. This applies to everyone, from the software engineer who codes for a living and considers a run for office, to the small business owner whose family moved here decades ago but maintained dual status for ease of travel or inheritance.

Limiting the Candidate Pool

This provision directly targets Americans who maintain dual nationality, often due to heritage, birthright, or family ties. For instance, imagine a U.S. citizen who grew up in the States but holds dual citizenship with Ireland because their parents were Irish. Under this Act, that person, despite meeting all current constitutional requirements, would be barred from running for office unless they formally renounce their Irish citizenship. This significantly shrinks the pool of eligible candidates, limiting voters’ choices and potentially excluding highly qualified individuals whose only 'fault' is having strong ties to another country.

Real-World Implications for Representation

This restriction could disproportionately affect immigrant communities and those with strong international connections. The current rules allow for a diverse range of life experiences in Congress, including those who understand global politics firsthand. By limiting eligibility solely to those who hold only U.S. citizenship, the Act risks making Congress less representative of the increasingly diverse American population. While the stated goal might be to ensure undivided loyalty, the practical effect is to impose a loyalty test that goes far beyond what the Constitution requires, forcing many citizens to choose between their heritage and public service.