List of proposed amendments to
the United States Constitution
Wikipedia
Proposed amendments not approved by Congress or expired
The following are largely amendments that have gained national attention
and/or debate, presumably by concerning an issue of contemporary political
relevance to Americans in general. A two-thirds vote in both houses of
Congress is required to pass a constitutional amendment. Ultimately, they were
not approved by Congress and did not move to the ratification step. Some were
never submitted to Congress, while many never got out of _Congressional
committees_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_committees) . Also
listed here are amendments approved by Congress with expiry dates that did not
receive ratification before the set date and are considered 'dead.'
19th century
* _Blaine Amendment_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaine_Amendment)
, proposed in 1875, would have banned public funds from going to religious
purposes, in order to prevent _Catholics_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church) from taking advantage of such
funds; although it failed to
pass, many states adopted such provisions.
* _Christian Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Amendment) , proposed first in February
1863, would have added acknowledgment of
the Christian God in the Preamble to the Constitution. Similar amendments
were proposed in 1874, 1896 and 1910 with none passing. The last attempt in
1954 did not come to a vote.
* The _Crittenden Compromise_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crittenden_Compromise) , a joint resolution that
included six constitutional
amendments that would protect slavery. Both the _House of Representatives_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives) and the
_Senate_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate) rejected it in
1861
and _Abraham Lincoln_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln) was
subsequently elected on a platform that opposed the expansion of slavery.
The South's reaction to the rejection paved the way for the _secession_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War#Secession_begins) of the
_Confederate_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederate_State_of_America)
states
and the _American Civil War_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War) .
20th century
* _Anti-Miscegenation Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Miscegenation_Amendment) , proposed by
Congressman _Seaborn Roddenbery_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seaborn_Roddenbery) in 1912 to forbid
interracial
marriages nation-wide. Similar amendments were proposed by Congressman
Andrew King in 1871 and by Senator _Coleman Blease_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleman_Blease) in 1928. None were passed by
congress.
* _Bricker Amendment_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bri
cker_Amendment) , proposed in 1951 by _Ohio_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio) Senator
_John W. Bricker_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_W._Bricker) , which
would limit the Federal Government's treaty making power. It was passed
60-31 in the Senate, a single vote short of the two-thirds necessary.
* _Common Property Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Property_Amendment) , proposed by various
ecological activists in the 1990s,
would protect common property for future generations.
* _Death Penalty Abolition Amendment_
(http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Death_Penalty_Abolition_Amendment) , proposed in
1990, 1992, 1993, and
1995, by Democratic Texas Congressman _Henry González_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_B._Gonzalez) to prohibit the imposition of
_capital punishment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_the_United_States) "by
any State, Territory, or other jurisdiction within the United States". The
amendment was referred to the _House Subcommittee on the Constitution_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Judiciary_Subcommittee_on_the_Co
nstitution,_Civil_Rights,_and_Civil_Liberties) , but never made it out of
committee.
* _District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_of_Columbia_Voting_Rights_Amendment) ,
approved by
Congress in 1978, would have given the residents of the District of Columbia
full voting rights. It expired unratified in 1985.
* _Equal Rights Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_Rights_Amendment) , approved by Congress in
1972, which would make government
discrimination based on a citizen's _sex_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex)
illegal. Its original 7 year deadline was extended to 10 years, before
expiring. Whether or not the deadline can be again extended and the amendment
ratified is a controversial issue.
* _Flag Desecration Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_Desecration_Amendment) first proposed in
1968 to give Congress the power to
make acts such as flag burning illegal. During each term of Congress from
1995 to 2005, the proposed amendment was passed by the House of
Representatives, however, never the Senate; coming closest during voting on
June 27,
2006, with 66 in support and 34 opposed (one vote short).
* _Human Life Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Life_Amendment) , first proposed in 1973,
would overturn _Roe v. Wade_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roe_v._Wade) court ruling. A total of 330
proposals
using varying texts have been proposed with almost all dying in committee. The
only version that reached a formal floor vote, the "Hatch-Eagleton
Amendment", was easily rejected by 18 votes, in the Senate, on June 28, 1983.
* _Ludlow Amendment_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludlow_Amendment)
, proposed by Congressman _Louis Ludlow_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Ludlow) in 1937. This amendment would
heavily reduce America's ability to
be involved in war.
2000 to 2003
* _Removal of citizenship from children of illegal immigrants_
(http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hj108-44) , proposed by
_Mark
Foley_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Foley) on March 31, 2003.
* _Balanced Budget Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_Budget_Amendment) , in which Congress
and the President are forced to
balance the budget every year.
* _School Prayer Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_Prayer_Amendment) proposed on April 9,
2003, to establish that "The people
retain the right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage,
and traditions on public property, including schools."_[2]_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_proposed_amendments_to_the_United_States_C
onstitution&printable=yes#cite_note-1)
* _Protecting the reference to God in the Pledge of Allegiance and
National Motto_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pledge_of_Allegiance) ,
proposed on February 27, 2003 by _Oklahoma_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma)
Congressman Lucas._[3]_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_proposed_amendments_to_the_United_States_Constitution&printable=yes#cite_not
e-2)
2004
* _Every Vote Counts Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Every_Vote_Counts_Amendment) — proposed by
Congressman _Gene Green_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Green) on September 14, 2004. It would
abolish the
_electoral college_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_college) ._[4]_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_proposed_amendments_to_the_
United_States_Constitution&printable=yes#cite_note-3) Partly a response
to the controversy surrounding _Al Gore_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Gore) 's defeat in the _2000 election_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2000) .
* _Continuity of Government Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Continuity_of_Government_Amendment&action=edit&redlink=1)
—
proposed in 2004 by _Utah_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah) Senator
_Orrin Hatch_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orrin_Hatch) . It would ensure the
continuity of operations of the _United States Congress_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Congress) in the case of
emergencies in which a
large number of senators or representatives are incapacitated. Such an
amendment would allow Congress itself to make emergency appointments to fill
vacancies, rather than going through the usual _by-election_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/By-election) process._[5]_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_proposed_amendments_to_the_United_States_Constitution&printable
=yes#cite_note-4)
* _Equal Opportunity to Govern Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_Opportunity_to_Govern_Amendment) —
proposed also by Senator
Hatch. It would allow naturalized citizens with at least twenty years'
citizenship to become president.
* _Seventeenth Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventeenth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution)
repeal — proposed in 2004 by
_Georgia_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_(U.S._state)) Senator _Zell
Miller_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zell_Miller) . It would reinstate the
appointment of Senators by state legislatures as originally required by
_Article One_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_One_of_the_United_States_Constitution) ,
Section Three, Clauses One and Three.
* The _Federal Marriage Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Marriage_Amendment) has been introduced
in the _United States
Congress_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Congress) four times: in
2003, 2004, 2005/2006 and 2008 by multiple members of Congress (with support
from then-President _George W. Bush_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush) ). It would define marriage and
prohibit _same-sex marriage_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage) , even at the state level.
2005 to 2007
* Several constitutional amendments simultaneously proposed by
Representative _Jesse Jackson Jr._
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Jackson_Jr.) on March 2, 2005, including
amendments concerning:
1. _The right of citizens of the United States to health care of
equal high quality_
(http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hj108-30)
.
2. _The right of all citizens of the United States to a public
education of equal high quality_
(http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hj109-29) .
3. _The right to vote_
(http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hj109-28) .
4. _The right to a clean, safe, and sustainable environment_
(http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hj109-33) .
5. _The right to decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing_
(http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c108:H.J.RES.32:) .
6. _Equality of rights and reproductive rights_
(http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hj109-31) . This amendment
is essentially a
modified version of the _Equal Rights Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_Rights_Amendment) which would bolster _Roe
v. Wade_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roe_v._Wade) .
7. _The right to full employment and balanced growth_
(http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hj109-35) .
8. _Taxing the people of the United States progressively_
(http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hj109-34) .
* _Abolishment of personal income, estate, and gift taxes and
prohibition of the United States Government from engaging in business in
competition with its citizens_
(http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=hj109-14) , proposed by Rep.
_Ron Paul_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Paul) on January 26, 2005.
* In 2007, Professor _Larry J. Sabato_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_J._Sabato) proposed a series of 23
constitutional amendments through
a national _constitutional convention_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_convention) in his book _A More
Perfect Constitution_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_More_Perfect_Constitution) . The proposals
ranged from
term limits, to overhauling the _Electoral College_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_College_(United_States)) , to
implementing a new calendar
for presidential primaries._[6]_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_proposed_amendments_to_the_United_States_Constitution&printable=yes#c
ite_note-Politico_2007-8-17-5) No action by any level of government has
been made to introduce or to approve of any one of his proposals.
* _Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States
prohibiting the penalty of death_
(http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hj110-80) . Introduced April
16, 2008, the day of the _Supreme Court_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States) 's ruling
in _Baze v. Rees_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baze_v._Rees) that _lethal
injection_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lethal_injection) is not _cruel
and unusual punishment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruel_and_unusual_punishment) prohibited by the
_Eighth Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution)
, by Minnesota Democratic
Representative _Betty McCollum_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_McCollum) , cosponsored by Arizona
Democratic Representative _Raul Grijalva_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raul_Grijalva) , and California Democratic
Representatives _Michael Honda_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Honda) ,
_Barbara Lee_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Lee) , and _Fortney
Stark_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortney_Stark) . It was referred to the
_Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subcommittee_on_the_Constitution,_Civil_Rights,_and_Civi
l_Liberties) on April 28, 2008 and has since seen no further action
taken.
2009
* On January 25, 2009, _Senator_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate) _Russ Feingold_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ_Feingold) put out a press release saying
that he planned to introduce an
amendment to end gubernatorial appointments to Senate vacancies._[7]_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_proposed_amendments_to_the_United_State
s_Constitution&printable=yes#cite_note-6)
* _Twenty-second Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution)
repeal: proposed as early
as 1989 by various congressmen including Rep. _Barney Frank_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Frank) , Rep. _Steny Hoyer_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steny_Hoyer) , Rep. _José Serrano_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/José_Enrique_Serrano) ,_[8]_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_proposed_amendments_to_the_United_States_Constitution&printable=yes#cite_note-
7) Rep. _Howard Berman_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Berman)
,_[9]_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_proposed_amendments_to_the_United_States_Constitution&printable=yes#cite_note-8)
and Sen. _Harry
Reid_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Reid) _[10]_ (http://en.wik
ipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_proposed_amendments_to_the_United_States_Constit
ution&printable=yes#cite_note-9) , have introduced legislation, but each
resolution died before making it out of its respective committee. The
current amendment limits the president to two elected terms in office, and up
to
two years succeeding a President in office. Last action was in February
2009.
* On February 25, 2009, Senator _Lisa Murkowski_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisa_Murkowski) , because she believed the
_District of Columbia
House Voting Rights Act of 2009_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_of_Columbia_House_Voting_Rights_Act_of_2009)
would be unconstitutional if
adopted, proposed a Constitutional amendment that would provide a
_Representative_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives)
to the District of Columbia._[11]_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_proposed_amendments_to_the_United_States_Constitution&printable=yes#
cite_note-10)
* On May 4, 2009, Professor _Randy Barnett_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randy_Barnett) proposed a _Bill of Federalism_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_of_Federalism) - a set of ten amendments
concerned largely
with limiting Federal Power. This was an expansion of a draft he had proposed
for a single 'Federalism Amendment' he had proposed in the Wall Street
Journal._[12]_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_proposed_amendments_to_the_United_States_Constitution&printable=yes#cite_note-WSJ_2009-4-2
4-11) No action by any level of government has been made to introduce or
to approve of any one of his proposals. Barnett's _Repeal Amendment_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repeal_Amendment) proposal continues to attract
supporters, including the governor of Virginia, _Bob McDonnell_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_McDonnell) ._[13]_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_proposed_amendments_to_the_United_States_Constitution&printabl
e=yes#cite_note-12)
* On November 11, 2009, Republican Senator _Jim DeMint_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_DeMint) proposed _term limit_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Term_limit) to the congress where the maximum
limit for senators
will be two terms total of 12 years and for house three terms total for six
years._[14]_
(http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_proposed_amendments_to_the_United_States_Constitution&printable=yes#cite_note-13)
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