The process of amending the Constitution of the United States is outlined in Article V of the Constitution. There are two primary methods for proposing amendments and two methods for ratification:
Proposal of Amendments:
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Congressional Proposal:
- 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.
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Convention of States:
- Alternatively, an amendment can be proposed by a national convention called for by two-thirds (34 out of 50) of the state legislatures. This method has never been used.
Ratification of Amendments:
Once an amendment is proposed, it must be ratified through one of the following methods:
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State Legislatures:
- An amendment can be ratified by three-fourths (38 out of 50) of the state legislatures.
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State Conventions:
- Alternatively, an amendment can be ratified by conventions held in three-fourths of the states. This method has been used only once, for the ratification of the 21st Amendment.
General Notes:
- There is no time limit set by the Constitution for the ratification process, but Congress may set a deadline.
- The amendment process is intentionally designed to be challenging, requiring broad consensus to ensure that only significant changes are made to the Constitution.
This process reflects the Framers' intention to create a stable and enduring framework for governance while allowing for necessary changes in response to the evolving needs of the nation.
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