Collection of Tools & Utilities/Collection of Tools and Utilities.iso/archiver/zrunr30.zip/CONSTIT.TXT

Text File | 1994-01-22 | 50KB | 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