Website is Under Construction
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
Article Five of the United States Constitution describes the process whereby the Constitution may be altered.
Altering the Constitution consists of proposing an amendment or amendments and subsequent ratification.
PROPOSING
Amendments may be proposed by either two-thirds of both houses of the United States Congress (67 Senators and 290 Representatives) or by a national convention.
NATIONAL CONVENTION
This convention can be assembled at the request of the legislatures of at least two-thirds (34) of the several States.
RATIFYING
To become part of the Constitution, amendments must then be ratified either by approval of the legislatures of three-fourths (38) of the States or ratifying conventions held in three-fourths (38) of the States.
Congress has discretion as to which method of ratification should be used. Any amendment so ratified becomes a valid part of the constitution, provided that no state "shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the senate," without its consent.
Altering the Constitution consists of proposing an amendment or amendments and subsequent ratification.
PROPOSING
Amendments may be proposed by either two-thirds of both houses of the United States Congress (67 Senators and 290 Representatives) or by a national convention.
NATIONAL CONVENTION
This convention can be assembled at the request of the legislatures of at least two-thirds (34) of the several States.
RATIFYING
To become part of the Constitution, amendments must then be ratified either by approval of the legislatures of three-fourths (38) of the States or ratifying conventions held in three-fourths (38) of the States.
Congress has discretion as to which method of ratification should be used. Any amendment so ratified becomes a valid part of the constitution, provided that no state "shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the senate," without its consent.
The Buck Stops Here Again
thebuckstopshereagain.com
Amendments can be proposed by both Houses of Congress with 2/3 votes, or by the 2/3 of the States' Legislatures. However Amendments can only be ratified by the States.
The process is complex and very difficult to accomplish. Getting 2/3 of both houses of Congress acting together is almost impossible, as is getting 2/3 of the State Legislatures. Although difficult, it has been accomplished 27 times. To see a list of Ratified Amendments Click Here
The 26th Amendment setting 18 years as the legal voting age took only four months to Ratify, but the 27th Amendment dealing with Congressional pay took over 200 years to ratify.
There are also proposed but yet unratified Amendments such as the ERA Equal Righrs Amendments granting women equal rights in the work place. Also, of all things a Pro Slavery Amendment proposed in 1861 in an attempt to prevent the secession of Southern states.
The process is complex and very difficult to accomplish. Getting 2/3 of both houses of Congress acting together is almost impossible, as is getting 2/3 of the State Legislatures. Although difficult, it has been accomplished 27 times. To see a list of Ratified Amendments Click Here
The 26th Amendment setting 18 years as the legal voting age took only four months to Ratify, but the 27th Amendment dealing with Congressional pay took over 200 years to ratify.
There are also proposed but yet unratified Amendments such as the ERA Equal Righrs Amendments granting women equal rights in the work place. Also, of all things a Pro Slavery Amendment proposed in 1861 in an attempt to prevent the secession of Southern states.