Amending the Constitution

Currently to pass an amendment to the Constitution, two-thirds of both houses of Congress have to vote for an amendment, and then three-fourths of the states (38) must agree to the amendment. Or if Congress isn’t doing what the People want, two-thirds of the states (34) call for a national convention. Over the first 250 years, the United States has 27 ratified amendments. The first 10 (the Bill of Rights) were ratified in 1791. Two more were added in 1795 and 1804, followed by three in the mid 1800’s focused on changes due to the Civil War and ending slavery.

The Progressive Era in the early 20th Century added four new amendments although one of these, prohibition, was then repealed through an additional amendment in 1933.

Post World War II there have been seven amendments ratified, with the last one, the 27th Amendment which changes when Congressional pay raises will take effect, was ratified in 1992. The current 34 years without an amendment is the 3rd longest period in our 250 year history, and the longest wait since 1913 (the first of the Progressive Era amendments). Overall, a plurality of Americans feel the current system for adding new amendments should not be changed, while a similar number feel it should be changed. However, this group who feels the system should be changed is divided between those who feel it should be easier, and those who think it should be harder.

Regardless of how much easier or harder Americans feel it should be to add additional amendments to the Constitution, there is a wide range of ideas of what should be added (if they themselves could add an amendment).