Amendments are an important part of the United States Constitution, which serves as the Supreme Law of the Land. This article will discussing the definition of an amendment, the process for proposing an amendment, and the most relevant amendments that have been passed to date.
An amendment is a change or addition to a governing document such as a constitution or law. Amendments provide an opportunity for people to directly shape the laws which govern their lives and allow the government to address contemporary issues.
The formation of amendments begins with a proposal. The proposal typically describes in detail the suggested change or addition to a particular law, sometimes providing alternative language and concepts for consideration. Depending on the document to which the amendment is intended to be applied, this proposal may originate from a variety of sources, ranging from members of Congress to individual citizens.
Once a proposal has been submitted, it must be considered by both houses of Congress. If it passes in both chambers, it is then sent to the states for further consideration. It must receive ratification from three-fourths of the states before it becomes part of the official governing document. After it is ratified, it is added to the document as an amendment.
According to the United States Constitution, the process for proposing an amendment is outlined in Article V. In order to propose an amendment, two thirds of the members of Congress must support the proposal, or two-thirds of the state legislatures must call for a convention to propose amendments. Once an amendment is proposed, three fourths of the states must ratify it before it is added to the Constitution.
The process for proposing an amendment can be intricate and lengthy. Initially, an amendment must be proposed by either two-thirds of both chambers of Congress or two-thirds of the state legislatures. If two-thirds of the states call for a Constitutional Convention, then the convention must propose amendments which will need to be ratified by three fourths of the state legislatures for the amendment to become part of the Constitution. This process of ratification can take up to several years to complete.
Even after the amendment has been successfully proposed, the process is not complete. In order for the amendment to become part of the Constitution, three fourths of the state legislatures must ratify the amendment. During this period, the proposed amendment is sent to the state legislators for their consideration. Once three fourths of the states have ratified the amendment, then the amendment officially becomes part of the Constitution.
The relevant Amendments to date are numerous and represent the many achievements of the United States in solidifying rights and privileges for its citizens. The first ten Amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, guarantee certain basic rights such as free speech, the right to trial by jury, freedom of religion, and the right to bear arms.
The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, granted women the right to vote, while the 24th Amendment eliminated the poll tax which was a barrier to voting. In 1964, the 24th Amendment was followed by the addition of the 25th Amendment, which established procedures for presidential succession and has been referenced often in recent political debates. Perhaps the most well-known Amendment is the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery.
Lastly, the 27th Amendment, ratified in 1992, restricts Congress from immediately giving itself pay raises and requires any pay increases to go through the normal legislative process. This Amendment is seen as one of the final steps in ensuring the separation of powers among the branches of government.