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CONSTIT.TXT
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1994-01-22
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50KB
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871 lines
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect
union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the
common defense, 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. 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. 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.
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.
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 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 chuse 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.
When vacancies happen in the Representation from any state, the
executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill
such vacancies.
The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other
officers; and shall have the sole power of impeachment.
Section 3. 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.
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 Senators of the first class shall be
vacated at the expiration of the second year, of the second class at
the expiration of the fourth year, and the third class at the
expiration of the sixth year, so that one third 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.
No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained 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.
The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the
Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided.
The Senate shall choose their other officers, and 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.
The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments.
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.
Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further 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 4. The times, places and manner of holding elections for
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.
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 5. 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 may be authorized to compel the attendance of
absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties as each
House may provide.
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.
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.
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. 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.
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 7. 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.
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
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