THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.docx
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THECONSTITUTIONOFTHEUNITEDSTATESOFAMERICA
THECONSTITUTIONOFTHEUNITEDSTATESOFAMERICA
Preamble
WethepeopleoftheUnitedStates,inordertoformamoreperfectunion,establishjustice,insuredomestictranquility,provideforthecommondefense,promotethegeneralwelfare,andsecuretheblessingsoflibertytoourselvesandourposterity,doordainandestablishthisConstitutionfortheUnitedStatesofAmerica.
ArticleI
Section1.AlllegislativepowershereingrantedshallbevestedinaCongressoftheUnitedStates,whichshallconsistofaSenateandHouseofRepresentatives.
Section2.TheHouseofRepresentativesshallbecomposedofmemberschoseneverysecondyearbythepeopleoftheseveralstates,andtheelectorsineachstateshallhavethequalificationsrequisiteforelectorsofthemostnumerousbranchofthestatelegislature.
NopersonshallbeaRepresentativewhoshallnothaveattainedtotheageoftwentyfiveyears,andbeensevenyearsacitizenoftheUnitedStates,andwhoshallnot,whenelected,beaninhabitantofthatstateinwhichheshallbechosen.
Representativesanddirecttaxesshallbeapportionedamongtheseveralstateswhichmaybeincludedwithinthisunion,accordingtotheirrespectivenumbers,whichshallbedeterminedbyaddingtothewholenumberoffreepersons,includingthoseboundtoserviceforatermofyears,andexcludingIndiansnottaxed,threefifthsofallotherPersons.TheactualEnumerationshallbemadewithinthreeyearsafterthefirstmeetingoftheCongressoftheUnitedStates,andwithineverysubsequenttermoftenyears,insuchmannerastheyshallbylawdirect.ThenumberofRepresentativesshallnotexceedoneforeverythirtythousand,buteachstateshallhaveatleastoneRepresentative;anduntilsuchenumerationshallbemade,thestateofNewHampshireshallbeentitledtochoosethree,Massachusettseight,RhodeIslandandProvidencePlantationsone,Connecticutfive,NewYorksix,NewJerseyfour,Pennsylvaniaeight,Delawareone,Marylandsix,Virginiaten,NorthCarolinafive,SouthCarolinafive,andGeorgiathree.
WhenvacancieshappenintheRepresentationfromanystate,theexecutiveauthoritythereofshallissuewritsofelectiontofillsuchvacancies.
TheHouseofRepresentativesshallchoosetheirspeakerandotherofficers;andshallhavethesolepowerofimpeachment.
Section3.TheSenateoftheUnitedStatesshallbecomposedoftwoSenatorsfromeachstate,chosenbythelegislaturethereof,forsixyears;andeachSenatorshallhaveonevote.Immediatelyaftertheyshallbeassembledinconsequenceofthefirstelection,theyshallbedividedasequallyasmaybeintothreeclasses.TheseatsoftheSenatorsofthefirstclassshallbevacatedattheexpirationofthesecondyear,ofthesecondclassattheexpirationofthefourthyear,andthethirdclassattheexpirationofthesixthyear,sothatonethirdmaybechoseneverysecondyear;andifvacancieshappenbyresignation,orotherwise,duringtherecessofthelegislatureofanystate,theexecutivethereofmaymaketemporaryappointmentsuntilthenextmeetingofthelegislature,whichshallthenfillsuchvacancies.
NopersonshallbeaSenatorwhoshallnothaveattainedtotheageofthirtyyears,andbeennineyearsacitizenoftheUnitedStatesandwhoshallnot,whenelected,beaninhabitantofthatstateforwhichheshallbechosen.
TheVicePresidentoftheUnitedStatesshallbePresidentoftheSenate,butshallhavenovote,unlesstheybeequallydivided.
TheSenateshallchoosetheirotherofficers,andalsoaPresidentprotempore,intheabsenceoftheVicePresident,orwhenheshallexercisetheofficeofPresidentoftheUnitedStates.
TheSenateshallhavethesolepowertotryallimpeachments.Whensittingforthatpurpose,theyshallbeonoathoraffirmation.WhenthePresidentoftheUnitedStatesistried,theChiefJusticeshallpreside:
Andnopersonshallbeconvictedwithouttheconcurrenceoftwothirdsofthememberspresent.
Judgmentincasesofimpeachmentshallnotextendfurtherthantoremovalfromoffice,anddisqualificationtoholdandenjoyanyofficeofhonor,trustorprofitundertheUnitedStates:
butthepartyconvictedshallneverthelessbeliableandsubjecttoindictment,trial,judgmentandpunishment,accordingtolaw.
Section4.Thetimes,placesandmannerofholdingelectionsforSenatorsandRepresentatives,shallbeprescribedineachstatebythelegislaturethereof;buttheCongressmayatanytimebylawmakeoraltersuchregulations,exceptastotheplacesofchoosingSenators.
TheCongressshallassembleatleastonceineveryyear,andsuchmeetingshallbeonthefirstMondayinDecember,unlesstheyshallbylawappointadifferentday.Section5.EachHouseshallbethejudgeoftheelections,returnsandqualificationsofitsownmembers,andamajorityofeachshallconstituteaquorumtodobusiness;butasmallernumbermayadjournfromdaytoday,andmaybeauthorizedtocompeltheattendanceofabsentmembers,insuchmanner,andundersuchpenaltiesaseachHousemayprovide.
EachHousemaydeterminetherulesofitsproceedings,punishitsmembersfordisorderlybehavior,and,withtheconcurrenceoftwothirds,expelamember.
EachHouseshallkeepajournalofitsproceedings,andfromtimetotimepublishthesame,exceptingsuchpartsasmayintheirjudgmentrequiresecrecy;andtheyeasandnaysofthemembersofeitherHouseonanyquestionshall,atthedesireofonefifthofthosepresent,beenteredonthejournal.
NeitherHouse,duringthesessionofCongress,shall,withouttheconsentoftheother,adjournformorethanthreedays,nortoanyotherplacethanthatinwhichthetwoHousesshallbesitting.
Section6.TheSenatorsandRepresentativesshallreceiveacompensationfortheirservices,tobeascertainedbylaw,andpaidoutofthetreasuryoftheUnitedStates.Theyshallinallcases,excepttreason,felonyandbreachofthepeace,beprivilegedfromarrestduringtheirattendanceatthesessionoftheirrespectiveHouses,andingoingtoandreturningfromthesame;andforanyspeechordebateineitherHouse,theyshallnotbequestionedinanyotherplace.
NoSenatororRepresentativeshall,duringthetimeforwhichhewaselected,beappointedtoanycivilofficeundertheauthorityoftheUnitedStates,whichshallhavebeencreated,ortheemolumentswhereofshallhavebeenincreasedduringsuchtime;andnopersonholdinganyofficeundertheUnitedStates,shallbeamemberofeitherHouseduringhiscontinuanceinoffice.
Section7.AllbillsforraisingrevenueshalloriginateintheHouseofRepresentatives;buttheSenatemayproposeorconcurwithamendmentsasonotherBills.
EverybillwhichshallhavepassedtheHouseofRepresentativesandtheSenate,shall,beforeitbecomealaw,bepresentedtothePresidentoftheUnitedStates;ifheapproveheshallsignit,butifnotheshallreturnit,withhisobjectionstothatHouseinwhichitshallhaveoriginated,whoshallentertheobjectionsatlargeontheirjournal,andproceedtoreconsiderit.IfaftersuchreconsiderationtwothirdsofthatHouseshallagreetopassthebill,itshallbesent,togetherwiththeobjections,totheotherHouse,bywhichitshalllikewisebereconsidered,andifapprovedbytwothirdsofthatHouse,itshallbecomealaw.ButinallsuchcasesthevotesofbothHousesshallbedeterminedbyyeasandnays,andthenamesofthepersonsvotingforandagainstthebillshallbeenteredonthejournalofeachHouserespectively.IfanybillshallnotbereturnedbythePresidentwithintendays(Sundaysexcepted)afteritshallhavebeenpresentedtohim,thesameshallbealaw,inlikemannerasifhehadsignedit,unlesstheCongressbytheiradjournmentpreventitsreturn,inwhichcaseitshallnotbealaw.
Everyorder,resolution,orvotetowhichtheconcurrenceoftheSenateandHouseofRepresentativesmaybenecessary(exceptonaquestionofadjournment)shallbepresentedtothePresidentoftheUnitedStates;andbeforethesameshalltakeeffect,shallbeapprovedbyhim,orbeingdisapprovedbyhim,shallberepassedbytwothirdsoftheSenateandHouseofRepresentatives,accordingtotherulesandlimitationsprescribedinthecaseofabill.
Section8.TheCongressshallhavepowertolayandcollecttaxes,duties,impostsandexcises,topaythedebtsandprovideforthecommondefenseandgeneralwelfareoftheUnitedStates;butallduties,impostsandexcisesshallbeuniformthroughouttheUnitedStates;
ToborrowmoneyonthecreditoftheUnitedStates;
Toregulatecommercewithforeignnations,andamongtheseveralstates,andwiththeIndiantribes;
Toestablishauniformruleofnaturalization,anduniformlawsonthesubjectofbankruptciesthroughouttheUnitedStates;
Tocoinmoney,regulatethevaluethereof,andofforeigncoin,andfixthestandardofweightsandmeasures;
ToprovideforthepunishmentofcounterfeitingthesecuritiesandcurrentcoinoftheUnitedStates;
Toestablishpostofficesandpostroads;
Topromotetheprogressofscienceandusefularts,bysecuringforlimitedtimestoauthorsandinventorstheexclusiverighttotheirrespectivewritingsanddiscoveries;
ToconstitutetribunalsinferiortotheSupremeCourt;
Todefineandpunishpiraciesandfeloniescommittedonthehighseas,andoffensesagainstthelawofnations;
Todeclarewar,grantlettersofmarqueandreprisal,andmakerulesconcerningcapturesonlandandwater;
Toraiseandsupportarmies,butnoappropriationofmoneytothatuseshallbeforalongertermthan