|
AMENDMENT XI
Passed by
Congress March 4, 1794. Ratified
February 7, 1795.
Note:
Article III, section 2, of the
Constitution was modified by amendment
11.
The Judicial
power of the United States shall not be
construed to extend to any suit in law
or equity, commenced or prosecuted
against one of the United States by
Citizens of another State, or by
Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign
State.
AMENDMENT XII
Passed by
Congress December 9, 1803. Ratified June
15, 1804.
Note: A
portion of Article II, section 1 of the
Constitution was superseded by the 12th
amendment.
The Electors
shall meet in their respective states
and vote by ballot for President and
Vice-President, one of whom, at least,
shall not be an inhabitant of the same
state with themselves; they shall name
in their ballots the person voted for as
President, and in distinct ballots the
person voted for as Vice-President, and
they shall make distinct lists of all
persons voted for as President, and of
all persons voted for as Vice-President,
and of the number of votes for each,
which lists they shall sign and certify,
and transmit sealed to the seat of the
government of the United States,
directed to the President of the Senate;
-- the President of the Senate shall, in
the presence of the Senate and House of
Representatives, open all the
certificates and the votes shall then be
counted; -- The person having the
greatest number of votes for President,
shall be the President, if such number
be a majority of the whole number of
Electors appointed; and if no person
have such majority, then from the
persons having the highest numbers not
exceeding three on the list of those
voted for as President, the House of
Representatives shall choose
immediately, by ballot, the President.
But in choosing the President, the votes
shall be taken by states, the
representation from each state having
one vote; a quorum for this purpose
shall consist of a member or members
from two-thirds of the states, and a
majority of all the states shall be
necessary to a choice. [And if the House
of Representatives shall not choose a
President whenever the right of choice
shall devolve upon them, before the
fourth day of March next following, then
the Vice-President shall act as
President, as in case of the death or
other constitutional disability of the
President. --]* The person having the
greatest number of votes as
Vice-President, shall be the
Vice-President, if such number be a
majority of the whole number of Electors
appointed, and if no person have a
majority, then from the two highest
numbers on the list, the Senate shall
choose the Vice-President; a quorum for
the purpose shall consist of two-thirds
of the whole number of Senators, and a
majority of the whole number shall be
necessary to a choice. But no person
constitutionally ineligible to the
office of President shall be eligible to
that of Vice-President of the United
States.
*Superseded
by section 3 of the 20th amendment.
AMENDMENT XIII
Passed by
Congress January 31, 1865. Ratified
December 6, 1865.
Note: A
portion of Article IV, section 2, of the
Constitution was superseded by the 13th
amendment.
Section 1.
Neither slavery nor involuntary
servitude, except as a punishment for
crime whereof the party shall have been
duly convicted, shall exist within the
United States, or any place subject to
their jurisdiction.
Section 2.
Congress shall have power to enforce
this article by appropriate legislation.
AMENDMENT XIV
Passed by
Congress June 13, 1866. Ratified July 9,
1868.
Note:
Article I, section 2, of the
Constitution was modified by section 2
of the 14th amendment.
Section 1.
All persons born or naturalized in the
United States, and subject to the
jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of
the United States and of the State
wherein they reside. No State shall make
or enforce any law which shall abridge
the privileges or immunities of citizens
of the United States; nor shall any
State deprive any person of life,
liberty, or property, without due
process of law; nor deny to any person
within its jurisdiction the equal
protection of the laws.
Section 2.
Representatives shall be apportioned
among the several States according to
their respective numbers, counting the
whole number of persons in each State,
excluding Indians not taxed. But when
the right to vote at any election for
the choice of electors for President and
Vice-President of the United States,
Representatives in Congress, the
Executive and Judicial officers of a
State, or the members of the Legislature
thereof, is denied to any of the male
inhabitants of such State, being
twenty-one years of age,* and citizens
of the United States, or in any way
abridged, except for participation in
rebellion, or other crime, the basis of
representation therein shall be reduced
in the proportion which the number of
such male citizens shall bear to the
whole number of male citizens twenty-one
years of age in such State.
Section 3.
No person shall be a Senator or
Representative in Congress, or elector
of President and Vice-President, or hold
any office, civil or military, under the
United States, or under any State, who,
having previously taken an oath, as a
member of Congress, or as an officer of
the United States, or as a member of any
State legislature, or as an executive or
judicial officer of any State, to
support the Constitution of the United
States, shall have engaged in
insurrection or rebellion against the
same, or given aid or comfort to the
enemies thereof. But Congress may by a
vote of two-thirds of each House, remove
such disability.
Section 4.
The validity of the public debt of the
United States, authorized by law,
including debts incurred for payment of
pensions and bounties for services in
suppressing insurrection or rebellion,
shall not be questioned. But neither the
United States nor any State shall assume
or pay any debt or obligation incurred
in aid of insurrection or rebellion
against the United States, or any claim
for the loss or emancipation of any
slave; but all such debts, obligations
and claims shall be held illegal and
void.
Section 5.
The Congress shall have the power to
enforce, by appropriate legislation, the
provisions of this article.
*Changed by
section 1 of the 26th amendment.
AMENDMENT XV
Passed by
Congress February 26, 1869. Ratified
February 3, 1870.
Section 1.
The right of citizens of the United
States to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States or by any
State on account of race, color, or
previous condition of servitude--
Section 2.
The Congress shall have the power to
enforce this article by appropriate
legislation.
AMENDMENT XVI
Passed by
Congress July 2, 1909. Ratified February
3, 1913.
Note:
Article I, section 9, of the
Constitution was modified by amendment
16.
The Congress
shall have power to lay and collect
taxes on incomes, from whatever source
derived, without apportionment among the
several States, and without regard to
any census or enumeration.
AMENDMENT XVII
Passed by
Congress May 13, 1912. Ratified April 8,
1913.
Note:
Article I, section 3, of the
Constitution was modified by the 17th
amendment.
The Senate of
the United States shall be composed of
two Senators from each State, elected by
the people thereof, for six years; and
each Senator shall have one vote. The
electors in each State shall have the
qualifications requisite for electors of
the most numerous branch of the State
legislatures.
When vacancies
happen in the representation of any
State in the Senate, the executive
authority of such State shall issue
writs of election to fill such
vacancies: Provided, That the
legislature of any State may empower the
executive thereof to make temporary
appointments until the people fill the
vacancies by election as the legislature
may direct.
This amendment
shall not be so construed as to affect
the election or term of any Senator
chosen before it becomes valid as part
of the Constitution.
AMENDMENT XVIII
Passed by
Congress December 18, 1917. Ratified
January 16, 1919. Repealed by amendment
21.
Section 1.
After one year from the ratification of
this article the manufacture, sale, or
transportation of intoxicating liquors
within, the importation thereof into, or
the exportation thereof from the United
States and all territory subject to the
jurisdiction thereof for beverage
purposes is hereby prohibited.
Section 2.
The Congress and the several States
shall have concurrent power to enforce
this article by appropriate legislation.
Section 3.
This article shall be inoperative unless
it shall have been ratified as an
amendment to the Constitution by the
legislatures of the several States, as
provided in the Constitution, within
seven years from the date of the
submission hereof to the States by the
Congress.
AMENDMENT XIX
Passed by Congress
June 4, 1919. Ratified August 18, 1920.
The right of
citizens of the United States to vote
shall not be denied or abridged by the
United States or by any State on account
of sex.
Congress shall
have power to enforce this article by
appropriate legislation.
AMENDMENT XX
Passed by
Congress March 2, 1932. Ratified January
23, 1933.
Note:
Article I, section 4, of the
Constitution was modified by section 2
of this amendment. In addition, a
portion of the 12th amendment was
superseded by section 3.
Section 1.
The terms of the President and the Vice
President shall end at noon on the 20th
day of January, and the terms of
Senators and Representatives at noon on
the 3d day of January, of the years in
which such terms would have ended if
this article had not been ratified; and
the terms of their successors shall then
begin.
Section 2.
The Congress shall assemble at least
once in every year, and such meeting
shall begin at noon on the 3d day of
January, unless they shall by law
appoint a different day.
Section 3.
If, at the time fixed for the beginning
of the term of the President, the
President elect shall have died, the
Vice President elect shall become
President. If a President shall not have
been chosen before the time fixed for
the beginning of his term, or if the
President elect shall have failed to
qualify, then the Vice President elect
shall act as President until a President
shall have qualified; and the Congress
may by law provide for the case wherein
neither a President elect nor a Vice
President shall have qualified,
declaring who shall then act as
President, or the manner in which one
who is to act shall be selected, and
such person shall act accordingly until
a President or Vice President shall have
qualified.
Section 4.
The Congress may by law provide for the
case of the death of any of the persons
from whom the House of Representatives
may choose a President whenever the
right of choice shall have devolved upon
them, and for the case of the death of
any of the persons from whom the Senate
may choose a Vice President whenever the
right of choice shall have devolved upon
them.
Section 5.
Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on
the 15th day of October following the
ratification of this article.
Section 6.
This article shall be inoperative unless
it shall have been ratified as an
amendment to the Constitution by the
legislatures of three-fourths of the
several States within seven years from
the date of its submission.
AMENDMENT XXI
Passed by
Congress February 20, 1933. Ratified
December 5, 1933.
Section 1.
The eighteenth article of amendment to
the Constitution of the United States is
hereby repealed.
Section 2.
The transportation or importation into
any State, Territory, or Possession of
the United States for delivery or use
therein of intoxicating liquors, in
violation of the laws thereof, is hereby
prohibited.
Section 3.
This article shall be inoperative unless
it shall have been ratified as an
amendment to the Constitution by
conventions in the several States, as
provided in the Constitution, within
seven years from the date of the
submission hereof to the States by the
Congress.
AMENDMENT XXII
Passed by
Congress March 21, 1947. Ratified
February 27, 1951.
Section 1.
No person shall be elected to the office
of the President more than twice, and no
person who has held the office of
President, or acted as President, for
more than two years of a term to which
some other person was elected President
shall be elected to the office of
President more than once. But this
Article shall not apply to any person
holding the office of President when
this Article was proposed by Congress,
and shall not prevent any person who may
be holding the office of President, or
acting as President, during the term
within which this Article becomes
operative from holding the office of
President or acting as President during
the remainder of such term.
Section 2.
This article shall be inoperative unless
it shall have been ratified as an
amendment to the Constitution by the
legislatures of three-fourths of the
several States within seven years from
the date of its submission to the States
by the Congress.
AMENDMENT XXIII
Passed by
Congress June 16, 1960. Ratified March
29, 1961.
Section 1.
The District constituting the seat of
Government of the United States shall
appoint in such manner as Congress may
direct:
A number of
electors of President and Vice President
equal to the whole number of Senators
and Representatives in Congress to which
the District would be entitled if it
were a State, but in no event more than
the least populous State; they shall be
in addition to those appointed by the
States, but they shall be considered,
for the purposes of the election of
President and Vice President, to be
electors appointed by a State; and they
shall meet in the District and perform
such duties as provided by the twelfth
article of amendment.
Section 2.
The Congress shall have power to enforce
this article by appropriate legislation.
AMENDMENT XXIV
Passed by
Congress August 27, 1962. Ratified
January 23, 1964.
Section 1.
The right of citizens of the United
States to vote in any primary or other
election for President or Vice
President, for electors for President or
Vice President, or for Senator or
Representative in Congress, shall not be
denied or abridged by the United States
or any State by reason of failure to pay
poll tax or other tax.
Section 2.
The Congress shall have power to enforce
this article by appropriate legislation.
AMENDMENT XXV
Passed by
Congress July 6, 1965. Ratified February
10, 1967.
Note:
Article II, section 1, of the
Constitution was affected by the 25th
amendment.
Section 1.
In case of the removal of the President
from office or of his death or
resignation, the Vice President shall
become President.
Section 2.
Whenever there is a vacancy in the
office of the Vice President, the
President shall nominate a Vice
President who shall take office upon
confirmation by a majority vote of both
Houses of Congress.
Section 3.
Whenever the President transmits to the
President pro tempore of the Senate and
the Speaker of the House of
Representatives his written declaration
that he is unable to discharge the
powers and duties of his office, and
until he transmits to them a written
declaration to the contrary, such powers
and duties shall be discharged by the
Vice President as Acting President.
Section 4.
Whenever the Vice President and a
majority of either the principal
officers of the executive departments or
of such other body as Congress may by
law provide, transmit to the President
pro tempore of the Senate and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives
their written declaration that the
President is unable to discharge the
powers and duties of his office, the
Vice President shall immediately assume
the powers and duties of the office as
Acting President.
Thereafter,
when the President transmits to the
President pro tempore of the Senate and
the Speaker of the House of
Representatives his written declaration
that no inability exists, he shall
resume the powers and duties of his
office unless the Vice President and a
majority of either the principal
officers of the executive department or
of such other body as Congress may by
law provide, transmit within four days
to the President pro tempore of the
Senate and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives their written
declaration that the President is unable
to discharge the powers and duties of
his office. Thereupon Congress shall
decide the issue, assembling within
forty-eight hours for that purpose if
not in session. If the Congress, within
twenty-one days after receipt of the
latter written declaration, or, if
Congress is not in session, within
twenty-one days after Congress is
required to assemble, determines by
two-thirds vote of both Houses that the
President is unable to discharge the
powers and duties of his office, the
Vice President shall continue to
discharge the same as Acting President;
otherwise, the President shall resume
the powers and duties of his office.
AMENDMENT XXVI
Passed by
Congress March 23, 1971. Ratified July
1, 1971.
Note:
Amendment 14, section 2, of the
Constitution was modified by section 1
of the 26th amendment.
Section 1.
The right of citizens of the United
States, who are eighteen years of age or
older, to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States or by any
State on account of age.
Section 2.
The Congress shall have power to enforce
this article by appropriate legislation.
AMENDMENT XXVII
Originally
proposed
Sept. 25, 1789.
Ratified May 7, 1992.
No law, varying
the compensation for the services of the
Senators and Representatives, shall take
effect, until an election of
representatives shall have intervened.
|