Simone Lawson
The 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, also known as the Lame Duck Amendment, made several significant changes to the original constitution. The amendment altered the start and end dates for the terms of the President, Vice President, and Congress members, reducing the transition period and the length of time defeated politicians continued to serve. It also established a contingency plan for various scenarios, including the death of the President-elect before Inauguration Day and the failure of a President-elect to qualify for the role.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To reduce the presidential transition and the "lame duck" period |
| Term start and end dates | Changed the start and end dates of the terms of the president, vice president, and members of Congress from March 4 to January 20 and January 3, respectively. |
| Contingency plan | Established a plan in case there is no president-elect, stating that the vice president-elect becomes president if the president-elect dies before Inauguration Day. |
| Election procedure | Established that the incoming Congress, rather than the outgoing one, would hold a contingent election if the Electoral College deadlocks regarding the presidential or vice presidential elections. |
| Congressional terms | Established that congressional terms begin before presidential terms. |
| Ratification | Required ratification by three-fourths of the state legislatures within seven years of submission. |
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What You'll Learn
Start dates for presidential, vice-presidential, and congressional terms
The 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, also known as the Lame Duck Amendment, altered the start and end dates for the terms of the president, vice president, and Congress members. Before the 20th Amendment, the terms of the president, vice president, and members of Congress began and ended on March 4 following their respective elections. The 20th Amendment moved these dates to January 20 for the president and vice president and January 3 for members of Congress.
The amendment also established that the terms of the president, vice president, and members of Congress would end at noon on these respective dates. This change reduced the presidential transition and the "'lame duck' period", during which members of Congress and the president serve the remainder of their terms after an election. The 20th Amendment aimed to address the excessively long period that defeated presidents and members of Congress would continue to serve after failing to secure reelection.
In addition, the 20th Amendment established that the incoming Congress, rather than the outgoing one, would hold a contingent election if the Electoral College deadlocked regarding the presidential or vice-presidential elections. This amendment also provided a contingency plan in the event that the president-elect passed away between the election and the inauguration, stating that the vice president-elect would become president. Furthermore, it allowed for the possibility of "'failure to qualify'" as a condition for presidential succession, addressing a previous lack of guidance in the Constitution that had nearly caused constitutional crises in the past.
The 20th Amendment was proposed by Senator George W. Norris of Nebraska on March 2, 1932, and ratified by the states in 1933. Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first U.S. president to be inaugurated in January due to this amendment.
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Annual meeting date of Congress
The Twentieth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, also known as the Lame Duck Amendment, was proposed by Sen. George W. Norris of Nebraska on March 2, 1932, and was ratified in 1933. The amendment altered the start and end dates for the terms of the President, Vice President, and Congress members. It moved the annual meeting date of Congress from the first Monday in December or March 4 to January 3.
Before the 20th Amendment, the Constitution stated that congressional sessions would begin on the first Monday of December unless Congress appointed a different date. However, Congress set the congressional start date for new officials and members as March 4 each year. This meant that the president, vice president, and members of Congress began and ended their terms on March 4 following their respective elections. The 20th Amendment aimed to address this issue by reducing the interval between the election and the start of the new Congress's term.
The 20th Amendment also established that the terms of Senators and Representatives would end at noon on the 3rd day of January, with the terms of their successors beginning immediately after. This change ensured that the new Congress would be able to perform its duties soon after the election, eliminating the "lame-duck" period. The amendment further specified that Congress shall assemble at least once a year, and such meetings shall begin at noon on January 3 unless a different date is appointed by law.
The 20th Amendment generated little public controversy, and the Supreme Court has never had to decide a case based on it. However, it played a significant role in reducing the presidential transition period and ensuring a smoother transfer of power. By establishing clear guidelines for the beginning and ending dates of congressional terms, the amendment contributed to the efficient functioning of the U.S. government.
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Contingency plan for president-elect's death
The 20th Amendment to the United States Constitution made several changes, including moving the beginning and end of the terms of the president, vice president, and members of Congress. It also addressed the issue of a vacant president-elect position, reducing the "lame-duck" period.
Now, onto the contingency plan in the event of a president-elect's death:
The 20th Amendment and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 provide guidance on what happens if a president-elect dies before taking office. The amendment specifies that if the president-elect dies before Inauguration Day, the vice president-elect becomes the president on that day and serves the full four-year term. This ensures stability and continuity in the leadership of the country.
The Presidential Succession Act of 1947, which was signed into law on July 18, 1947, further clarifies the line of succession. This act restored the speaker of the House and president pro tempore of the Senate to the line of succession, placing them ahead of cabinet members. The act reflects the belief that the president should not appoint their immediate successor and that the position should be filled by an elected official whenever possible.
Additionally, the 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, provides a comprehensive plan for presidential succession in the event of death or incapacitation. It delineates the scope of powers and duties transferred to the successor. This amendment addressed ambiguities in the Constitution, which did not explicitly state that the vice president would assume the presidency in such cases.
The death of a president-elect is a rare and unfortunate event, but these constitutional amendments and acts ensure that there is a clear and established procedure to handle such a situation, providing stability and continuity in the country's leadership.
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Lame-duck period reduced
The 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, also known as the Lame-Duck Amendment, was designed to address the issue of lame-duck sessions in Congress. A lame-duck session occurs when a defeated president or member of Congress continues to serve for an extended period after their failed bid for reelection.
Prior to the 20th Amendment, the Constitution did not specify the exact dates for the beginning and end of the terms of federal elected officials. The original text set the start date for congressional sessions as the first Monday in December, but Congress had the authority to appoint a different date. In practice, Congress often set the start date as March 4, resulting in a nearly 13-month gap between the election and the start of the new Congress's term. This lengthy transition period was considered problematic, especially during times of national crisis or economic turmoil.
The 20th Amendment aimed to reduce the lame-duck period by moving the start and end dates of the terms for the president, vice president, and members of Congress. The amendment changed the start of the presidential term from March 4 to January 20, and the start of the congressional term from March 4 to January 3. This reduction in the transition period ensured that newly elected officials could assume their duties sooner, making the government more responsive to the people's choices.
The amendment also established that the incoming Congress, rather than the outgoing one, would hold a contingent election in the event of an Electoral College deadlock. This provision further reduced the influence of lame-duck members of Congress during the transition period. Additionally, the 20th Amendment addressed scenarios where the president-elect or vice president-elect died or failed to qualify before taking office, providing clear guidelines for succession and ensuring a smooth transfer of power.
The 20th Amendment, ratified in 1933, successfully reduced the lame-duck period and introduced greater efficiency and responsiveness in the transition of power following elections. It demonstrated the flexibility and adaptability of the U.S. Constitution to address the evolving needs of the nation.
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Electoral College deadlock
The Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution made several changes to address Electoral College deadlocks and the transition of power.
Firstly, it reduced the "lame-duck" period by moving the beginning and ending of the terms of the president, vice president, and members of Congress. The end of their terms was shifted from March 4 to January 20 for the president and vice president and January 3 for members of Congress. This change aimed to minimise the period between the election and the inauguration of a new president and Congress, allowing them to assume their duties sooner.
Secondly, the amendment addressed the procedure in the event of an Electoral College deadlock. If the Electoral College vote does not result in the election of a president or vice president, the amendment stipulates that the incoming Congress, not the outgoing one, shall conduct a contingent election. This process is outlined in the Twelfth Amendment, where the House of Representatives selects the president, and the Senate chooses the vice president.
The Twentieth Amendment further refines the Twelfth Amendment by declaring that if the president-elect dies before Inauguration Day, the vice president-elect will be sworn in as president and serve the full four-year term. Additionally, if a president-elect has not been chosen or fails to qualify by Inauguration Day, the vice president-elect will become the acting president until a president-elect is determined.
The inclusion of these provisions in the Twentieth Amendment aimed to provide clarity and prevent constitutional crises in the event of an Electoral College deadlock or other complications during the presidential transition.
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Frequently asked questions
The 20th Amendment changed the start and end dates of the terms of the President, Vice President, and members of Congress. It also established a contingency plan in case the President-elect passed away between the election and inauguration.
The original start and end dates for the terms of the President, Vice President, and members of Congress were March 4. The 20th Amendment changed this to January 20 for the President and Vice President, and January 3 for members of Congress.
The "lame duck" period refers to the time between an election and the start of the new President and Congress's term, during which the outgoing President and Congress are still in power. The 20th Amendment reduced this period from four months to between 73 and 79 days.
The 20th Amendment established that if there is no President-elect, the Vice President-elect will become President. It also allows Congress to create rules and procedures for choosing the President or Vice President if one dies before assuming office.
