Legislative power. House of Representatives CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. WE, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic 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. 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. 1. The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year, by the and qualifica- 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. tions of elec tors, and of Representatives. Apportion sentatives. 2. 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. 3. Representatives and direct taxes shall be apment of Repre- portioned 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. Enumeration. 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 sentation. ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. Ratio of repreThe 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 First appor. be entitled to choose three; Massachusetts, eight; tionment. 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. 4. When vacancies happen in the representation Vacancies. from any State, the executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies. The House of Representatives shall choose Speaker of the their speaker and other officers, and shall have the House. sole power of impeachment. SECTION 3. .1 The Senate of the United States shall be com- The Senateposed of two senators from each State, chosen by each senator a the Legislature thereof, for six years; and each senator shall have one vote. vote. 2. Immediately after they shall be assembled, in Senators consequence of the first election, they shall be di- classed. vided, as equally as may be, into three classes, the A third of the seats of the senators of the first class shall be vacated seats vacated at the expiration of the second year, of the second every 2 years. 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 Vacancies. 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. 3. No person shall be a senator, who shall not Qualifications have attained to the age of thirty years, and been nine of senators. 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 senate. 4. The vice-president of the United States shall President of be president of the Senate; but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. 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. Impeachments. And extent of judgment in cases. Party liable according to law. Elections, how regulated. Meetings of To judge of the election of its members. Quorum. Rules. Journals. Adjournment. 6. 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. 7. 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. 1. 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. 2. 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. 1. Each house shall be the judge of the election, 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 authorised to compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties as each house may provide. 2. 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. 3. 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. 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 Compensation. 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 Privilege. arrest, during their attendance 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. ces. 2. No senator or representative shall, during the Concerning the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any holding of officivil 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. 1. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in Revenue bills. the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments as on other bills. tion to bills. by the presi dent. 2. Every bill which shall have passed the House Power and duty of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it of the presi becomes a law, be presented to the president of the dent in relaUnited 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- Proceedings on thirds of that house shall agree to pass the bill, bills returned 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 president within ten days (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, prevent its return; in which case, it shall not be a law. 3. Every order, resolution, or vote, to which the Joint resoluconcurrence of the Senate and House of Represent- tions, except for adjourn ment, to re sanction as atives may be necessary; (except on a question of adjournment) shall be presented to the president of the ceive the same United States; and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by 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. bills. Powers of con to taxes. SECTION 8. The Congress shall have power 1. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and gress relative 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: Loans. Commerce. Naturalization. Money. 2. To borrow money on the credit of the United States: 3. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian tribes: 4. To establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform 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: Counterfeiting. 6. To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States: Post-offices. Science. Tribunals. War. Armies. Navy. Land and naval forces. 7. To establish post offices and post roads: 8. To promote the progress of science and useful arts, 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 Court. To define and punish piracies and felonies. committed on the high seas, and offences against the law of nations: 10. To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water: 11. To raise and support armies; but no appropriation of money to that use, shall be for a longer term than two years: 12. To provide and maintain a navy: 13. To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces: |