Kerry calls for amendment to restrict corporate campaign spending

Representative Niki Tsongas, Democrat of Lowell, said today that she would introduce legislation restricting corporations from using government money, such as bailout funds, for political purposes. Tsongas's office said she would seek to attach the provision to a more sweeping bill that is being prepared by Representative Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, in response to the ruling. Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, is working on similar legislation in the Senate.

An aide to Van Hollen said the congressman hoped to have a bill finished by the end of the week, but had not yet reviewed Tsongas's proposal. The legislation may include separate proposals introduced by Representative Michael E. Capuano, Democrat of Somerville, last week that would require corporations to seek shareholder approval before spending money on politics, the aide said.

However, Congress's power to undo the decision through legislation is limited, said Richard H. Fallon, a professor of constitutional law at Harvard Law School.

"They will not be able to do anything that would overcome the main thrust and effect of the decision," he said. "They may be able to mute its effect to some relatively minor extent, but five justices were very clear that they saw an issue of constitutional principle here."

Campaign finance reform advocacy groups and some Democrats have expressed support for a Constitutional amendment, but many lawmakers consider the idea radioactive, fearing that even beginning such an unpredictable process in a polarized political climate would open the floodgates to other amendments. Many conservatives support a constitutional ban on gay marriage, for instance.

In an interview with the Globe last week, Capuano said that while he strongly opposed the Court's ruling, amending the Constitution was the wrong approach.

"I'm not inclined to support a Constitutional amendment," he said. "My fear is that once you open up the Constitution to amendment, you open up a whole host of issues that I wouldn't necessarily agree with."

However, it is theoretically possible to pass an amendment without the support of Congress. Ordinarily, an amendment needs the support of two-thirds of both houses of Congress before it can be submitted to the states for ratification. But the states can also hold a special convention to draft an amendment, circumventing Congress.

In the 222 years since the Constitution was written, that approach has never been used.