Constitutional Amendment to Address "Mass Casualty" Event, Aiming to Rapidly Replace House Members and Ensure Government Continuity
U.S. lawmakers are proposing a new constitutional amendment to prepare for a potential "mass casualty" event that could incapacitate a large number of House representatives, disrupting the function of the federal government. The bipartisan group, including Reps. Derek Kilmer (D-Wash.), Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio), William Timmons (R-S.C.), and Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.), aims to create a system for rapidly replacing House members should at least 100 seats become vacant, as might occur during a significant terror attack or other catastrophic event entry. Currently, House vacancies are filled by special elections, a process that can take months, which poses a challenge in times of crisis. Under the proposed amendment, each representative would submit a list of five potential replacements to their state’s governor, who would appoint one as a temporary member within 10 days of the vacancy. This would provide continuity in governance until a special election can be held. The proposal ad...