List the two (2) primary paths you would pursue to amend the U.S. Constitution. Cite the applicable section(s) of the Constitution.
To amend the U.S. Constitution, there are two primary paths that can be pursued. These paths are outlined in Article V of the Constitution. Here are the two paths:
1. Proposal by Congress: The first path involves proposing an amendment by the United States Congress. Specifically, either the House of Representatives or the Senate can propose an amendment by a two-thirds majority vote. This is described in Article V, Section 2 of the Constitution.
2. Proposal by Constitutional Convention: The second path is through a Constitutional Convention called by Congress. In this case, if two-thirds of the state legislatures (i.e., 34 out of 50 states) pass resolutions requesting a Constitutional Convention, then Congress must call for such a convention. This is mentioned in Article V, Section 2 of the Constitution.
After an amendment is proposed, it must be ratified in order to become part of the Constitution. There are also two paths for ratification:
1. Ratification by State Legislatures: Under this path, three-fourths (i.e., 38 out of 50) of the state legislatures must approve and ratify the proposed amendment within a specified time frame. This process is stated in Article V, Section 1 of the Constitution.
2. Ratification by State Conventions: The second path for ratification involves holding special conventions in each state to consider and decide on the proposed amendment. Similar to the first path, three-fourths of the states must ratify the amendment for it to be added to the Constitution.
It's important to note that while these are the primary paths for amending the U.S. Constitution, the actual process can be modified by laws and regulations put in place by Congress or states, as long as they adhere to the guidelines specified in Article V of the Constitution.