WE, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquillity, 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. 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 2. Legislative powers vested in congresss. House of rep its members; 1. The house of representatives shall be composed of resentatives; 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. by whom chosen; qualifications of elec tors. 2. No person shall be a representative, who shall not Qualifications have attained to the age of twenty-five years, and been of representaseven years a citizen of the United States, and who shall tives. not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen. Representa tives and tax- portioned ac- Actual enu meration eve ry ten years. 3. Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states which may be included within this union, according to their respective numbers, which shall be 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 be made within three years after the first meeting of the fifths of all other persons. The actual enumeration shall congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by Limitation of 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 Providence Plantations one; Connecticut five; NewYork six; New-Jersey four; Pennsylvania eight; Delaware one; Maryland six; Virginia ten; North-Carolina five; South-Carolina five; and Georgia three. the ratio of representation, &c. First apportionment of representatives. Writs of elec 4. When vacancies happen in the representation from tion for filling any state, the executive authority thereof shall issue vacancies. The house of representa writs of election to fill such vacancies. 5. The house of representatives shall choose their tives to choose speaker and other officers, and shall have the sole powtheir speaker, er of impeachment. &c. Two senators chosen by the legislature of each state, for 6 years; each a vote. The senate divided into 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 one vote. 2. Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence of the first election, they shall be divided, as The seats of the three classes. equally as may be, into three classes. One third of the senatorial ry two years. third may be senators of the first class, shall be vacated at the expiration of the second year, of the second class, at the expiseats vacated, ration of the fourth year, and of the third class, at the and filled, eve- expiration of the sixth year, so that one chosen second every resignation or otherwise, during the recess of the legislayear; and if vacancies happen by ture of any state, the executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the next meeting of the legislature, which shall then fill such vacancies. Excutives of states to fill va cancies in the recess of le gislatures, &c. of senators. Qualifications tained to the age of thirty years, and been nine years a 3. No person shall be a senator, who shall not have atcitizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state for which he shall be chosen. 4. The vice-president of the United States shall be Vice-presi. president of the senate, but shall have no vote, unless dent to be prethey be equally divided. 5. The senate shall choose their other officers, and also a president pro tempore, in the absence of the vicepresident, or when he shall exercise the office of president of the United States. sident of the president pro 6. The senate shall have the sole power to try all im- The sole pow peachments. When sitting for that purpose, they shall er to try imbe on oath or affirmation. When the president of the in the senate, peachments, United States is tried, the chief justice shall preside; &c. and no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two thirds of the members present. cases of im 7. Judgment, in cases of impeachment, shall not ex- Extent of tend further than to removal from office, and disqualifica- judgment in tion to hold and enjoy any oflice 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 4. peachment. Party liable also to judgment, &c. accordingto law. tions for se 1. The times, places, and manner of holding elections Times, &c. of for senators and representatives, shall be prescribed in holding eleceach state, by the legislature thereof; but the congress nators and remay, at any time, by law, make or alter such regulations, presentatives, except as to the places of choosing senators. regulated. 2. The congress shall assemble at least once in every Congress to year; and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in assemble anDecember, unless they shall by law appoint a different nually on the first Monday day. in December, &c. SECTION 5. Each house to judge of the election of its 1. Each house shall be the judge of the elections, returns, 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 bers. may be authorised to compel the attendance of absent Quorum. members, in such manner, and under such penalties, as each house may provide. Each house to determine its own rules, &c. 2. Each house may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behaviour, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member. 3. Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, Journals to be and from time to time publish the same, excepting such kept by each parts as may, in their judgment, require secrecy ; and the house, and published, &c. 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. Adjournment Senators and representatives to be paid, &c. Privileged from arrest, &c. 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 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 attendence at the session of their respective houses, and in going to or returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either house, they shall not be questioned in any other place. Concerning 2. No senator or representative shall, during the time the holding of for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil of offices by scnators and refice under the authority of the United States, which shall presentatives. 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 SECTION 7. 1. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the to originate in house of representatives; but the senate may propose or concur with amendments as on other bills. the house of representatives, &c. Powers of the president and of congress in the enacting of laws, and the forms of bills in that respect. 2. Every bill, which shall have passed the house of representatives and the senate, shall, before it become 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 objections at proceeding on 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 sident, within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall prehave 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. 3. Every order, resolution, or vote, to which the con- Joint resolucurrence of the senate and house of representatives may for adjourntions, except be necessary (except on a question of adjournment) shall ment, to rebe presented to the president of the United States; and ceive the same before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by sanction as 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 8. The congress shall have power bills. 1. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and ex- Congress have cises; to pay the debts, and provide for the common de- power to lay taxes, &c. fence 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 To borrow States: money. Commerce. 3. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and To regulate among the several states, and with the Indian tribes: 4. To establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and To establish uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies, throughout turalization, the United States: &c. 5. To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of To coin moforeign coin, and fix the standard of weights and meas- ney, &c. ures : To provide for punishing counterfeiters. To establish 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, post-offices, by securing, for limited times, to authors and inventors, the exclusive right to their respective writings and dis- To promote coveries : science, &c. 9. To constitute tribunals inferior to the supreme To constitute court: To define and punish piracies and felonies com- inferior tribumitted on the high seas, and offences against the law of nals, &c. nations : 10. To declare war, grant letters of marque and re- To declare prisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and war. water: mies. 11. To raise and support armies; but no oppropria- To raise artion of money to that use, shall be for a longer term than two years: 12. To provide and maintain a navy : of the land and naval forces: 14. To provide for calling forth the militia to execute To provide a navy. To make rules for governing army and na vy. |