We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestie 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 1. power. 1. All legislative powers herein granted, shall be Legislative vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Regresentatives. 1. The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year, by the people of the several States: and the electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State Legislature. resentatives 2. No person shall be a representative who shall not And of Rephave 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, Represent. 3. Représentatives and direct taxes shall be appor Apportiontioned among the several States which may be included R within this Union, according to their respective num- atives, bers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to ser Ratio of Representatives. First appor tionment. Vacancies. vice 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 e 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. hall 4. When vacancies happen in the representation from any State, the executive authority thereof issue writs of election to fill such vacancies, 137 vim & Speaker of The House of Representatives shall choose their he House speaker and other officers, and shall have the sole power of impeachment. The Senate. Each Song Senators A third of the seats va two years, 6 todo, le Vacancies 1 SECTION 3. 1. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have vote. have one vote. 4 2. Immediately after they shall be assembled, in consequence of the first election, they shall be divided, as equally as may be, into three classes. The seats of the cated every Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year, of the second class at the exLOBpiration of the fourth year, and the third class at the exto a pirations of the sixth year, so that one-third may be chosen every second year; and if vacancies happen by resignations or otherwise, during the recess of the Leg pollo ba islature of any State, the executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the Legislature which shall then fill such vacancies, ove 3. No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained the age of thirty years, and been nine years a noltrogg citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when To Shout élected, be an inhabitant of the State from which he al shall be chosen out of green rol de alii nidhi 4.The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate; but shall have no vote unless they be equally divided. Qualifica tion of Senators. President of the Senate. 19738 CONSTITUTION. 5. The Senate shall choose their other officers, and officers. also a President pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the office of President of the United States On laws ments. 18 6. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all Impeachimpeachments. 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. v And extenl 7. Judgment, in cases of impeachment, shall not ex- of judgment tend further than removal from office, and disqualifica- in casca, tion to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United Staies; but the party convicted shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject to indictment, trial, Party ble judgment and punishment, according to law, SECTION 4. hobiu spillo to law. liable how regu 1. The times, places and manner of holding elections Elections for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed in lated. each State, by the Legislature thereof, but the Congress may at any time, by law, make or alter such regulations, except as to the place of choosing Senators. Congress. 2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Meetings of year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day... 1 1. Each house shall be the judge of the election, returns and qualifications, of its own members, and a man jority of each shall censtitute 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 penal ties as each house may provide.. 2. Each house may determine the rules of its proceed- Rules b ings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with a concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member. T 3. Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, (Journals, 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. to it a Adjourn ment. Compensation. Privilege. Concerning of offlees. 4. Neither house, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to other place than that in which the two houses shall be sitting. SECTION 6. 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 sessions of their respective houses, or in going or returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either house, they shall not be questioned in any other place. 2. No Senator or Representative shall, during the the holding 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. Revenue bills. Power and Pre4tdent in relation to bills. Proceedings turned by the Peesí dont. SECTION 7. 1. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments as on other bills. 2. Every bill which shall have passed the House of duty of the Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President of the United States; if he approve, 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 obon bills rejections at large, in 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 vote 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 CONSTITUTION. (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 prevents its return; in which case it shall not be a law. Joint Reso Journment, the same bills. 3. Every order, resolution, or vote, to which the con- lutions, excurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives cept for admay be necessary, (except on a question of adjourn- to receive ment) shall be presented to the President of the United sanction as States; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two-thirds of the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in the case of a bill. SECTION 8. The Congress shall have power 1. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises; to pay 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 : Poffiers of Congress relative to taxes. 2. To borrow money on the credit of the United Loans.. States: 3. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and Commerce. among the several States, and with the Indian tribes: tion. 4. To establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and Naturalizauniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States: 5. To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures: Money. Counterfeit 6. To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting ing the securities and current coin of the United States: 7. To establish post offices and post roads: Post Offices. 8. To promote the progress of science and useful arts, Selence. 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 Tribuna la. Court. To define and punish piracy and felony committed on the high seas and offences against the law of - nations: 10. To declare war, grant letters of marque and re- War, prisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water: |