Explain the constitutional amendment process. List the two choices available for each step of the process.
Please format your answer as follows:
Step 1:
Option 1:
Option 2:
Step 2:
Option 1:
Option 2:
(4 points)
Step 1:
Option 1: Proposal by Congress - An amendment can be proposed by a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Option 2: Proposal by Constitutional Convention - An amendment can be proposed by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures.
Step 2:
Option 1: Ratification by State Legislatures - An amendment can be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures.
Option 2: Ratification by State Conventions - An amendment can be ratified by three-fourths of the states through special conventions called for this purpose.
Step 1:
Option 1: The first option is for a proposed amendment to be introduced by Congress, which can be done either by a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives or by a two-thirds vote in a national convention called by Congress at the request of two-thirds (34) of the state legislatures.
Option 2: The second option is for a proposed amendment to be initiated by the states. This can be done through a two-thirds vote in both houses of a state legislature or by two-thirds (34) of the state legislatures requesting Congress to call a national convention for proposing amendments.
Step 2:
Option 1: The proposed amendment must be ratified by three-fourths (38) of the state legislatures. This can be accomplished by either the state legislatures themselves passing resolutions affirming the amendment or by holding state conventions where the amendment is to be considered.
Option 2: The proposed amendment can also be ratified by three-fourths (38) of the state conventions specially called for this purpose. In this case, the amendment is not sent to the state legislatures but is directly submitted to the conventions.
Note: It is important to mention that regardless of the chosen option, the proposed amendment needs to be approved by three-fourths (38) of the states before it can become part of the Constitution.
Step 1:
Option 1: Proposal by Congress. An amendment may be proposed by a two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Option 2: Proposal by State Legislatures. An amendment may be proposed by two-thirds of the state legislatures calling for a constitutional convention.
Step 2:
Option 1: Ratification by State Legislatures. An amendment may be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures approving it.
Option 2: Ratification by State Conventions. An amendment may be ratified by three-fourths of the states holding a convention where the amendment is considered and approved.