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The Twenty-seventh Amendment (Amendment XXVII) to the United States Constitution, also known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, was ratified in 1992. It states that any law that increases or decreases the salary of members of Congress may only take effect after the next election of the House of Representatives. The amendment was proposed in 1789 and was one of the first proposed amendments, but it was not ratified by enough states to come into force until 1992.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Ratification | 7 May 1992 |
| Name | Twenty-seventh Amendment (Amendment XXVII) |
| Other Names | Congressional Compensation Act of 1789 |
| Purpose | To reduce corruption in the legislative branch |
| Mechanism | Requiring an election before a congressperson's salary increase |
| Number of States Ratifying | 38 |
| States Not Ratifying | Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, and Pennsylvania |
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What You'll Learn
The Twenty-seventh Amendment
The amendment states that any law that increases or decreases the salary of members of Congress may only take effect after the next election of the House of Representatives has occurred. The idea behind this amendment is to reduce corruption in the legislative branch by allowing the public to remove members of Congress from office before their salaries increase.
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Reducing corruption in the legislative branch
The 27th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which was ratified in 1992, aimed to reduce corruption in the legislative branch. Also known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, it states that any increase or decrease in the salary of members of Congress can only take effect after the next election of the House of Representatives. This amendment was proposed by the First Congress in 1789, along with 11 other amendments, but it was not ratified by enough states at that time.
The idea behind this amendment is to give the public a say in any changes to congressional salaries, thereby reducing the potential for corruption. By requiring an election before a congressperson's salary increase takes effect, the public can hold their representatives accountable and remove them from office if they disagree with the change.
This amendment addresses concerns about congressional salary increases, which date back to the debates over the ratification of the Constitution. Several states raised the issue of congressional salaries during this period. In 1873, Ohio ratified the amendment as a response to attempts by Congress to increase their salaries. Wyoming followed suit in 1978. However, it was not until the 1980s that a nationwide campaign for the amendment's ratification gained momentum. Gregory Watson, a student at the University of Texas at Austin, wrote a paper arguing for the amendment's ratification to curb political corruption.
By May 5, 1992, 38 states had ratified the amendment, and it was certified by the Archivist of the United States on May 18, 1992, more than 200 years after its original proposal. This amendment is a significant step towards reducing corruption in the legislative branch by giving power back to the people and ensuring that any changes to congressional salaries are subject to democratic approval.
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Congressional Compensation Act of 1789
The Twenty-seventh Amendment (Amendment XXVII), commonly known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, is an amendment to the United States Constitution. It states that any law that increases or decreases the salary of members of Congress may only take effect after the next election of the House of Representatives has occurred.
The amendment was one of the first proposed, submitted to the states for ratification on September 25, 1789, along with 11 other proposed amendments (Articles I–XII). The Congressional Compensation Act was initially ratified by seven states through 1792, including Kentucky, but was not ratified by another state for eighty years. The Ohio General Assembly ratified it on May 6, 1873, in protest of an unpopular Congressional pay raise. A century later, on March 6, 1978, the Wyoming Legislature also ratified the article.
The proposed amendment was largely forgotten until 1982, when it was revived by Gregory Watson, a 19-year-old undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin. Watson wrote a paper for a government class in which he argued for the amendment's ratification to curtail political corruption. Watson's paper sparked a nationwide campaign, and by May 5, 1992, the requisite 38 states had ratified the amendment. On May 18, 1992, the Archivist of the United States, Don W. Wilson, certified that the amendment's ratification had been completed, and it officially became part of the United States Constitution.
The Twenty-seventh Amendment is the most recently adopted amendment to the Constitution. It aims to reduce corruption in the legislative branch by allowing the public to remove members of Congress from office before their salaries increase. The amendment's certification by the Archivist of the United States sparked some controversy, as Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia argued that it deviated from the "historic tradition" of waiting for congressional approval. Nonetheless, the amendment stands as a significant addition to the Constitution, reflecting the efforts of citizens like Gregory Watson to hold their government accountable and ensure fair representation.
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Ratification by 38 states
The Twenty-seventh Amendment (Amendment XXVII), also known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, was ratified by the requisite 38 states in 1992, more than 202 years after its original proposal.
The amendment was first proposed by the First Congress of the United States on September 25, 1789, along with 11 other amendments. However, it lay dormant for almost 80 years as only six states voted for its ratification. In 1873, Ohio ratified the amendment, expressing dissatisfaction with Congress's attempts to increase the salaries of its members. Wyoming followed suit in 1978. The amendment gained traction in 1982 when Gregory Watson, a 19-year-old student at the University of Texas at Austin, wrote a paper arguing for its ratification to curtail political corruption. By May 5, 1992, 38 states had ratified the amendment, with Michigan believed to be the 38th state on May 7, 1992. However, it was later discovered that Kentucky had ratified the amendment during its initial month of statehood, making Alabama the finalising state.
The Twenty-seventh Amendment aims to reduce corruption in the legislative branch by requiring any increase or decrease in the salary of members of Congress to take effect only after the subsequent election in the House of Representatives. This allows the public to remove members of Congress from office before their salaries increase.
The amendment was certified by the Archivist of the United States, Don W. Wilson, on May 18, 1992, and published in the Federal Register the following day. It is the most recently adopted amendment to the United States Constitution.
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Certification by the Archivist of the United States
The Twenty-seventh Amendment (Amendment XXVII), also known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, was certified by the Archivist of the United States, Don W. Wilson, on May 18, 1992. This certification confirmed the completion of the amendment's ratification process, which required approval by three-fourths of the state legislatures. The amendment itself addresses the issue of Congressional salaries, aiming to reduce corruption in the legislative branch.
The Archivist of the United States plays a crucial role in the amendment certification process. According to the provisions of the Constitution, whenever an amendment to the Constitution is adopted, the Archivist is responsible for publishing the amendment along with a certificate. This certificate specifies the states that have adopted the amendment and confirms its validity as part of the Constitution. In the case of the Twenty-seventh Amendment, Don W. Wilson certified that the requisite number of states had ratified it, and his certificate was published in the Federal Register on May 19, 1992.
The Twenty-seventh Amendment was proposed by the First Congress in 1789, along with eleven other amendments. However, it was not ratified by enough states at that time and lay dormant for many years. The amendment gained new momentum in 1982 due to the efforts of Gregory Watson, a student at the University of Texas in Austin, who wrote a research paper advocating for its ratification to curtail political corruption. By May 5, 1992, 38 states had ratified the amendment, and Michigan's ratification on May 7, 1992, was initially believed to be the 38th state. However, it was later discovered that Kentucky had also ratified the amendment during its initial month of statehood.
The Twenty-seventh Amendment states that any law that increases or decreases the salary of members of Congress can only take effect after the next election of the House of Representatives. This amendment is designed to give the public an opportunity to remove members of Congress from office before their salaries increase, thereby reducing potential corruption. Despite the amendment's ratification, it is unclear if it has led to any significant changes in Congressional behaviour. Additionally, four states have not ratified the amendment: Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, and Pennsylvania.
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Frequently asked questions
The Twenty-seventh Amendment (Amendment XXVII) to the United States Constitution.
The amendment states that any law that increases or decreases the salary of members of Congress may take effect only after the next election of the House of Representatives has occurred.
The purpose of the amendment is to reduce corruption in the legislative branch by giving the public the opportunity to remove members of Congress from office before their salaries increase.
The Twenty-seventh Amendment was originally proposed on September 25, 1789, along with 11 other amendments.
The Twenty-seventh Amendment was ratified on May 7, 1992, more than 200 years after it was first proposed.
