Vt. House passes corporate personhood resolution

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The Vermont House has passed a resolution calling on the U.S. Congress to start the process of amending the federal Constitution to reverse a 2010 Supreme Court decision expanding the rights of corporations to influence political campaigns.

The 92-40 vote on Thursday came after more than two hours of debate in which supporters said corporate money has come to distort the political process in the United States. Opponents called the effort an assault on First Amendment freedoms.

House action follows a similar vote in the Senate last week to pass on a message to Congress that residents of 64 Vermont towns voted on Town Meeting day to call for overturning the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision.

Lawmakers rejected amendments targeting unions and foreign-owned corporations.