diff --git a/ledger/block/src/lib.rs b/ledger/block/src/lib.rs
index fd9dae34ce..7cbadc0885 100644
--- a/ledger/block/src/lib.rs
+++ b/ledger/block/src/lib.rs
@@ -125,9 +125,6 @@ impl<N: Network> Block<N> {
         transactions: Transactions<N>,
         aborted_transaction_ids: Vec<N::TransactionID>,
     ) -> Result<Self> {
-        // Ensure the block contains transactions.
-        ensure!(!transactions.is_empty(), "Cannot create a block with zero transactions");
-
         // Ensure the number of transactions is within the allowed range.
         if transactions.len() > Transactions::<N>::MAX_TRANSACTIONS {
             bail!(
diff --git a/ledger/block/src/verify.rs b/ledger/block/src/verify.rs
index 1cb990077b..40d681efa9 100644
--- a/ledger/block/src/verify.rs
+++ b/ledger/block/src/verify.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ impl<N: Network> Block<N> {
         &self,
         previous_block: &Block<N>,
         current_state_root: N::StateRoot,
-        current_committee: &Committee<N>,
+        current_committee_lookback: &Committee<N>,
         current_puzzle: &CoinbasePuzzle<N>,
         current_epoch_challenge: &EpochChallenge<N>,
         current_timestamp: i64,
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ impl<N: Network> Block<N> {
 
         // Ensure the block authority is correct.
         let (expected_round, expected_height, expected_timestamp, expected_existing_transaction_ids) =
-            self.verify_authority(previous_block.round(), previous_block.height(), current_committee)?;
+            self.verify_authority(previous_block.round(), previous_block.height(), current_committee_lookback)?;
 
         // Ensure the block solutions are correct.
         let (
@@ -138,8 +138,9 @@ impl<N: Network> Block<N> {
         &self,
         previous_round: u64,
         previous_height: u32,
-        current_committee: &Committee<N>,
+        current_committee_lookback: &Committee<N>,
     ) -> Result<(u64, u32, i64, Vec<N::TransactionID>)> {
+        // Note: Do not remove this. This ensures that all blocks after genesis are quorum blocks.
         #[cfg(not(any(test, feature = "test")))]
         ensure!(self.authority.is_quorum(), "The next block must be a quorum block");
 
@@ -164,12 +165,13 @@ impl<N: Network> Block<N> {
                 subdag.anchor_round()
             }
         };
-        // Ensure the block round is at least the starting round of the committee.
+        // Ensure the block round minus the committee lookback range is at least the starting round of the committee lookback.
         ensure!(
-            expected_round >= current_committee.starting_round(),
-            "Block {} has an invalid round (found '{expected_round}', expected at least '{}')",
-            expected_height,
-            current_committee.starting_round()
+            expected_round.saturating_sub(Committee::<N>::COMMITTEE_LOOKBACK_RANGE)
+                >= current_committee_lookback.starting_round(),
+            "Block {expected_height} has an invalid round (found '{}', expected at least '{}')",
+            expected_round.saturating_sub(Committee::<N>::COMMITTEE_LOOKBACK_RANGE),
+            current_committee_lookback.starting_round()
         );
 
         // Ensure the block authority is correct.
@@ -180,7 +182,7 @@ impl<N: Network> Block<N> {
                 let signer = signature.to_address();
                 // Ensure the block is signed by a committee member.
                 ensure!(
-                    current_committee.members().contains_key(&signer),
+                    current_committee_lookback.members().contains_key(&signer),
                     "Beacon block {expected_height} has a signer not in the committee (found '{signer}')",
                 );
                 // Ensure the signature is valid.
@@ -193,7 +195,7 @@ impl<N: Network> Block<N> {
             }
             Authority::Quorum(subdag) => {
                 // Compute the expected leader.
-                let expected_leader = current_committee.get_leader(expected_round)?;
+                let expected_leader = current_committee_lookback.get_leader(expected_round)?;
                 // Ensure the block is authored by the expected leader.
                 ensure!(
                     subdag.leader_address() == expected_leader,
@@ -387,9 +389,6 @@ impl<N: Network> Block<N> {
     fn verify_transactions(&self) -> Result<()> {
         let height = self.height();
 
-        // Ensure there are transactions.
-        ensure!(!self.transactions.is_empty(), "Block {height} must contain at least 1 transaction");
-
         // Ensure the number of transactions is within the allowed range.
         if self.transactions.len() > Transactions::<N>::MAX_TRANSACTIONS {
             bail!(
diff --git a/ledger/committee/src/lib.rs b/ledger/committee/src/lib.rs
index 9ba7843dcd..a933632d89 100644
--- a/ledger/committee/src/lib.rs
+++ b/ledger/committee/src/lib.rs
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ pub struct Committee<N: Network> {
 }
 
 impl<N: Network> Committee<N> {
+    /// The committee lookback range.
+    pub const COMMITTEE_LOOKBACK_RANGE: u64 = 50;
     /// The maximum number of members that may be in a committee.
     pub const MAX_COMMITTEE_SIZE: u16 = 200;
 
diff --git a/ledger/src/check_next_block.rs b/ledger/src/check_next_block.rs
index 4ac3ed0355..53a1817c53 100644
--- a/ledger/src/check_next_block.rs
+++ b/ledger/src/check_next_block.rs
@@ -84,11 +84,24 @@ impl<N: Network, C: ConsensusStorage<N>> Ledger<N, C> {
         let ratified_finalize_operations =
             self.vm.check_speculate(state, block.ratifications(), block.solutions(), block.transactions())?;
 
+        // Get the round number for the previous committee. Note, we subtract 2 from odd rounds,
+        // because committees are updated in even rounds.
+        let previous_round = match block.round() % 2 == 0 {
+            true => block.round().saturating_sub(1),
+            false => block.round().saturating_sub(2),
+        };
+        // Get the committee lookback round.
+        let committee_lookback_round = previous_round.saturating_sub(Committee::<N>::COMMITTEE_LOOKBACK_RANGE);
+        // Retrieve the committee lookback.
+        let committee_lookback = self
+            .get_committee_for_round(committee_lookback_round)?
+            .ok_or(anyhow!("Failed to fetch committee for round {committee_lookback_round}"))?;
+
         // Ensure the block is correct.
         let expected_existing_transaction_ids = block.verify(
             &self.latest_block(),
             self.latest_state_root(),
-            &self.latest_committee()?,
+            &committee_lookback,
             self.coinbase_puzzle(),
             &self.latest_epoch_challenge()?,
             OffsetDateTime::now_utc().unix_timestamp(),