Preamble. Legislative pow er. House of Repre sentatives, and We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. ARTICLE I. SECTION I. 1. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives. SECTION II. 1. The House of Representatives shall be composed of memqualifications of bers chosen every second year by the people of the several electors. States; and the electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State Legislature. Of Representatives. 2. No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained to the age of twenty-five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen. Apportionment of 3. Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned ratio of represen among the several States which may be included within this portionment. Union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be representatives; tation; first ap Vacancies. determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other persons. The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. The number of representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand, but each State shall have at least one representative; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to choose three; Massachusetts eight; Rhode Island and Providence Plantations one; Connecticut five; New York six; New Jersey four; Pennsylvania eight; Delaware one; Maryland six; Virginia ten; North Carolina five; South Carolina five; and Georgia three. 4. When vacancies happen in the representation from any State, the Executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies. e House. 5. The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker Officers of the and other officers, and shall have the sole power of impeach ment. SECTION III. ator a vote. 1. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of Senate; each Sentwo Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. when seats vaca cancies and ap 2. Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence Senators classed of the first election, they shall be divided, as equally as may ted and filled; vabe, into three classes. The seats of the Senators of the first pointments. class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year, of the second class at the expiration of the fourth year, and of the third class at the expiration of the sixth year, so that onethird may be chosen every second year; and if vacancies happen, by resignation or otherwise, during the recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such vacancies. Senators. 3. No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained Qualifications of to the age of thirty years; and been nine years a citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen. Senate. 4. The Vice President of the United States shall be Presi- President of the dent of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. 5. The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a Officers. President pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the office of President of the United States. 6. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeach- Impeachments. ments. When sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside; and no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present. ment. 7. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend fur- Extent of Judg ther than to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States; but the party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment, and punishment, according to law. SECTION IV. 1. The times, places and manner, of holding elections for Elections, how regulated. Meetings of Congress. Each House to judge of its mem Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time, by law, make or alter such regulations, except as to the places of choosing Senators. 2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day. SECTION V. 1. Each house shall be the judge of the elections, returns, bers; quorum. and qualifications of its own members; and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner and under such penalties as each house may provide. To determine its own rules. To keep and publish journal of proceedings. Adjournment. Compensation; privilege. hold offices. 2. Each house may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member. 3. Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy; and the yeas and nays of the members of either house, on any question, shall, at the desire of one-fifth of those present, be entered on the journal. 4. Neither house, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two houses shall be sitting. SECTION VI. 1. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a compensation for their services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the treasury of the United States. They shall, in all cases, except treason, felony, and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance at the session of their respective houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either house, they shall not be questioned in any other place. Their disability to 2. No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the emoluments whereof shall have been increased, during such time; and no person holding any office under the United States shall be a member of either house during his continuance in office. SECTION VII. 1. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House Revenue bills. of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments, as on other bills. bill, &c.; proceed turned by Presi 2. Every bill which shall have passed the House of Repre- President to sign sentatives and the Senate shall, before it become a law, be ings on bills represented to the President of the United States; if he approve, dent. he shall sign it; but if not, he shall return it with his objections, to that house in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If, after such reconsideration, two-thirds of that house shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two-thirds of that house, it shall become a law. But in all such cases, the votes of both houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the persons voting for and against the bill shall be entered on the journal of each house respectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days-Sundays excepted-after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law. except for ad ceive the same 3. Every order, resolution or vote, to which the concurrence Joint resolutions, of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary journment, to re-except on a question of adjournment-shall be presented to sanction as bills. the President of the United States; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be re-passed by two-thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill. SECTION VIII. The Congress shall have power : gress to lay taxes 1. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises; to Powers of Conpay the debts and provide for the common defence and general' welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States : 2. To borrow money on the credit of the United States : Loans. 3. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among Commerce. the several States, and with the Indian tribes: bankruptcy. 4. To establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and uni- Naturalizationform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States: Money. Counterfeiting. Post Offices. Tribunals; piracies; felonies. War. Army. Nary. Land and naval forces. Militia. Disciplining the militia. Exercise exclu certain cases. 5. To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures: 6. To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States: 7. To establish Post Offices and Post Roads: 8. To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times, to authors and inventors, the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries: 9. To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court. To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offences against the law of nations : 10. To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water: 11. To raise and support armies; but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years: 12. To provide and maintain a navy : 13. To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces: 14. To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions : 15. To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress : sive legislation in 16. To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever over such district, not exceeding ten miles square, as may by cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of Government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased, by the consent of the Legislature of the State in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dock yards and other needful buildings: and, Laws necessary for the execution 17. To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper of their powers. for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof. Importation of certain persons SECTION IX. 1. The migration or importation of such persons as any of not to be prohibi- the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the year one thousand ted until after 1808. |