National Convention
A method formed to help ratify (approve) constitutional amendments.
both houses of Congress or by two thirds of the state legislatures. This method of proposing amendments is known as a constitutional convention. However, to date, no constitutional convention has been called through this method, and all 27 amendments to the Constitution have been proposed by Congress.
proposal by initiative.
Either Congress or a constitutional convention have the power to do propose amendments to the US Constitution under Article V of the Constitution. Congress may proposes a specific amendment for ratification by votes of two thirds of both houses of Congress. Congress may also convene a constitutional convention, on application of the legislatures of two thirds of the states, in order for the convention to prepare and propose specific amendments for ratification. This method has not yet been used.
The US Congress ( i.e. the legislative branch of the federal government)can propose amendments to the US Constitution . A 2/3 vote in both houses is required . (The president does not have sign proposed amendments and he can not veto them.)There is a second method of proposing amendments, and that is for a Convention to be called for the proposing of amendments. Either Congress by a 2/3 vote or 2/3 of the state legislatures can call for such a convention to be held. This method has never been tried.In either case, a proposed amendment does not become law until 3/4 of the states ratify it.The amendment process is given in Article V of the Constitution.Read more: Who_has_the_power_to_propose_amendments_to_the_US_constitution
The US Congress ( i.e. the legislative branch of the federal government)can propose amendments to the US Constitution . A 2/3 vote in both houses is required . (The president does not have sign proposed amendments and he can not veto them.)There is a second method of proposing amendments, and that is for a Convention to be called for the proposing of amendments. Either Congress by a 2/3 vote or 2/3 of the state legislatures can call for such a convention to be held. This method has never been tried.In either case, a proposed amendment does not become law until 3/4 of the states ratify it.The amendment process is given in Article V of the Constitution.Read more: Who_has_the_power_to_propose_amendments_to_the_US_constitution
The power to amend the Constitution lies in the people, ultimately. Congress proposes amendments and they are then submitted to state legislature. Three-fourths of the states must ratify it. Citizens vote for state legislature based on their views.
Article V of the Constitution provides two methods to propose amendments and two methods for ratification. Constitutional amendment proposals in method one are by joint resolution of the Congress with a 2/3 vote in each house. (This is the only method that has been used.) Method two is by way of petitions to Congress by 2/3 of the states to conduct a convention for proposing amendments, and then holding such a convention. (An Article V convention has never been held). Amendments proposed by either the congressional method or the convention method are then submitted to the states for ratification. There are two possible methods here as well. Ratification can be done by way of the votes of the state legislatures or by specially elected delegates to state ratification conventions. In either case, ratification requires the votes of 3/4 of the states. The convention method was used in the case of the 21st Amendment (repeal of prohibition).
National convention
Two methods of proposing constitutional amendments in the United States are: first, by a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress, which is the most commonly used method; and second, through a national constitutional convention called by two-thirds of state legislatures, though this method has never been used. Once proposed, amendments must be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures or conventions to become part of the Constitution.
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.