Understanding the Amendment Process in the U.S. Constitution
How Amendments are Proposed and Ratified
The Constitution of the United States establishes a clear process for amending the document, as outlined in Article V. An amendment can be proposed in two ways:
Congressional Proposal
Congress may propose an amendment by a two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. This proposal is then sent to the states for ratification.
National Convention Proposal
Alternatively, a national convention can be called to propose an amendment if two-thirds of the state legislatures request one. This proposal is also sent to the states for ratification.
State Ratification
Once proposed, an amendment must be ratified by three-fourths of the states before it becomes law. There are two methods of ratification:
- Legislature Approval: Three-fourths of the state legislatures can approve the amendment.
- Convention Approval: Three-fourths of the states can hold conventions to approve the amendment.
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