Question
How are amendments to the Constitution proposed?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Amendments to the United States Constitution can be proposed in two primary ways as outlined in Article V of the Constitution:
1. **By Congress:** An amendment can be proposed by a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This is the most common method of proposing amendments.
2. **By a National Convention:** An amendment can also be proposed by a national convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures. This method has never been used, but it is a constitutional option available to the states.
Once an amendment is proposed by either method, it must then be ratified. Ratification can occur in one of two ways:
- By the legislatures of three-fourths (38 out of 50) of the states.
- By conventions held in three-fourths of the states.
This process ensures that any amendment has widespread support before becoming part of the Constitution.
1. **By Congress:** An amendment can be proposed by a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This is the most common method of proposing amendments.
2. **By a National Convention:** An amendment can also be proposed by a national convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures. This method has never been used, but it is a constitutional option available to the states.
Once an amendment is proposed by either method, it must then be ratified. Ratification can occur in one of two ways:
- By the legislatures of three-fourths (38 out of 50) of the states.
- By conventions held in three-fourths of the states.
This process ensures that any amendment has widespread support before becoming part of the Constitution.