What are two ways of proposing an amendment to the Constitution?

Answer 1

There are two methods:

1. A specific amendment is written and proposed by 2/3 of the Congress. Then the proposed amendment is sent for ratification to either the state legislatures or state ratifying conventions. Congress decides whether state legislatures or state ratifying conventions are to be used.

For the proposed amendment to become effective 3/4 of the legislatures or conventions must ratify it.

2. A convention for proposing amendments is called for by Congress on application by 2/3 of the states for such a convention. Specific amendments are written by the convention and sent to the states for ratification. Even if the proposed amendments come from a convention rather than from Congress, it is Congress which decides whether ratification is to be by state legislatures or state ratifying conventions.

Again, for the proposed amendments to become effective, 3/4 of the legislatures or conventions must ratify the proposed amendments.

To date the first method, proposal by Congress itself, is the only method by which amendments have been proposed. None of the existing amendments have been proposed by a national convention.

To date every amendment to the Constitution with the exception of the Twenty First Amendment (Repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment), has been ratified by state legislatures. The Twenty First Amendment is the only current amendment that has been ratified by state ratifying conventions.

Answer 2

The only process requires the passage of an amendment and its ratification by 3/4 of the states.

However, the passage may be by Congress or by state conventions (which has never occurred).

Similarly, the ratification by states may be done by the state legislatures or by state conventions called for that purpose, which has been used only once, for the 21st Amendment in 1933. Supporters of the repeal of prohibition used this process to bypass the more politically-influenced state legislatures.

Answer 3

The first method is for a bill to pass both houses of the legislature, by a two-thirds majority in each.

The second method (which has never been used) is for a Constitutional Convention to be called by two-thirds of the legislatures of the States, and for that Convention to propose one or more amendments.

Answer 4

The Constitution, then, spells out four paths for an amendment:

• Proposal by convention of states, ratification by state conventions (never used)
• Proposal by convention of states, ratification by state legislatures (never used)
• Proposal by Congress, ratification by state conventions (used once)
• Proposal by Congress, ratification by state legislatures (used all other times)

Answer 5

1. Eat cheese balls until you see a little rabbit

2. Have your mom give you a endoscopy.