Eleanor Finch
The last amendment to the United States Constitution, the Twenty-seventh Amendment, came into effect on May 5, 1992, 203 years after it was first proposed. Also known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, 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 amendment was proposed by Representative James Madison of Virginia in 1789 and was ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures in 1791. However, it was not ratified by enough states to come into force at that time. The amendment was largely forgotten until 1982, when a student at the University of Texas at Austin wrote a paper on the subject, sparking a nationwide campaign for its ratification.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Twenty-seventh Amendment (Amendment XXVII) |
| Other Names | Congressional Compensation Act of 1789 |
| Date Proposed | June 8, 1789 |
| Date Ratified | May 7, 1992 |
| Subject | Salaries of Congress Members |
| Summary | No changes to the salary of Congress members can take effect until after the next election |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The Twenty-seventh Amendment
The amendment was forgotten until 1982, when Gregory Watson, a 19-year-old undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin, wrote a paper on the subject for a political science course. Watson's paper became the foundation for a movement to curtail political corruption by ratifying the amendment, and he launched a nationwide campaign to complete its ratification. In 1983, he discovered that Ohio had approved the amendment in 1873 as a protest against the Salary Grab Act, and in 1984, he learned that Wyoming had done the same in 1978.
On May 5, 1992, the Twenty-seventh Amendment was finally certified as being duly ratified by the Archivist of the United States, and Congress declared the ratification to be legal. The amendment is now part of the United States Constitution, with 46 states having ratified it, while four have not: Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, and Pennsylvania.
The Constitution's Last Amendments: A Historical Perspective
You may want to see also
The Congressional Compensation Act of 1789
The last amendment to the United States Constitution, the Twenty-seventh Amendment, is also known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789. It was proposed by Representative James Madison of Virginia and submitted to the states for ratification on September 25, 1789, along with 11 other proposed amendments.
The Act 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. This amendment was designed to reduce corruption in the legislative branch by allowing the public to remove members of Congress from office before their salaries increase.
The amendment was initially ratified by seven states through 1792, including Kentucky, but it was not ratified by another state for eighty years. In 1873, the Ohio General Assembly ratified the amendment in protest of an unpopular Congressional pay raise. A century later, in 1978, the Wyoming Legislature also ratified the article. Despite these ratifications, the amendment was largely forgotten until 1982, when Gregory Watson, a 19-year-old undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin, wrote a paper for a government class, claiming that the amendment was still pending and had not been ratified by enough states.
Inspired by Watson's paper, a nationwide campaign was launched to complete the ratification process. The amendment eventually became part of the United States Constitution, effective May 5, 1992, and was the most recently adopted amendment at that time.
The Evolution of Constitutional Amendments: A Historical Perspective
You may want to see also
Ratified in 1992
The Twenty-seventh Amendment (Amendment XXVII), also known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, was ratified on May 7, 1992. It 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 Twenty-seventh Amendment was one of the first amendments proposed, along with 11 others, by the First Congress on September 25, 1789. The proposed amendment was largely forgotten until 1982, when Gregory Watson, a 19-year-old student at the University of Texas at Austin, wrote a paper for a government class in which he claimed that the amendment was still pending ratification and encouraged action to complete it.
At the time Watson began his campaign, six states had ratified the amendment, and he was under the mistaken impression that Virginia's approval in 1791 was the last action taken by a state. However, he later discovered that Ohio had approved the amendment in 1873 and Wyoming in 1978, both as a means of protesting congressional pay raises. Watson launched a nationwide campaign to gain support for the amendment, even using $6,000 of his own money to sponsor his efforts.
The Twenty-seventh Amendment eventually became part of the United States Constitution on May 5, 1992, 203 years after it was first proposed. The amendment aims to reduce corruption in the legislative branch by giving the public the opportunity to remove members of Congress from office before their salaries increase.
Third Amendment: Understanding the Constitution's Amendment
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Proposed by James Madison
The last amendment to the United States Constitution, the Twenty-seventh Amendment, was proposed by James Madison and came into effect on May 5, 1992.
On June 8, 1789, James Madison, the Representative of Virginia, introduced a proposed Bill of Rights to the Constitution in the House of Representatives. Madison's proposal included 12 amendments, of which 10 were approved and came to be known as the Bill of Rights.
Madison's original proposal was that the amendment be added to the end of Article I, Section 6, Clause 1 of the Constitution, which states: "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". Madison's proposal stated that any law increasing or decreasing the salary of members of Congress could only take effect after the next election of the House of Representatives.
Madison's proposal was referred to a committee consisting of one representative from each state. After being reviewed by the committee, the full House debated the issue and passed it along with 16 other articles of amendment on August 24, 1789. The proposals then went to the Senate, which made 26 substantive alterations. On September 9, 1789, the Senate approved a package of 12 articles of amendment, which were submitted to the states for ratification on September 25, 1789.
By 1791, the states had ratified 10 of the 12 amendments, which became the Bill of Rights. The remaining two amendments, including Madison's proposal, were not ratified by enough states to come into force. The proposed congressional pay amendment was largely forgotten until 1982, when Gregory Watson, a 19-year-old student at the University of Texas at Austin, wrote a paper for a government class in which he claimed that the amendment was still "alive" because it did not include a time limit for ratification. Watson launched a nationwide campaign to complete its ratification, and the amendment eventually became part of the United States Constitution, effective May 5, 1992.
Amendments: A Historical Timeline of the US Constitution
You may want to see also
Reducing corruption in Congress
The last amendment to the US Constitution, the Twenty-seventh Amendment or the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, became part of the Constitution on May 5, 1992. It was introduced to reduce corruption in Congress by preventing members from increasing their salaries without an election taking place first.
While this was a step towards reducing corruption in Congress, there are several other measures that could be taken to further tackle the issue. Here are some additional strategies:
Establishing an Independent Ethics Committee
The Senate Ethics Committee has been criticized for its failure to review potential violations and hold members accountable, setting a precedent that self-interested behaviour is acceptable. Over 90% of voters support stronger ethics enforcement to ensure senators prioritize the interests of the public over those of donors and special interest groups. An independent ethics committee, composed of non-members, could be established to investigate cases of alleged misconduct and make referrals to the appropriate disciplinary bodies. This would increase transparency and accountability, reducing the potential for corruption.
Strengthening Campaign Finance Laws
Campaign finance reform is crucial to reducing the influence of special interest groups and mega-donors on political decisions. Legislation could be introduced to limit the amount of money that can be donated to political campaigns and require the disclosure of all donors above a certain threshold. Additionally, rules could be put in place to prohibit members of Congress and their close family members from holding investments or earning salaries from foreign businesses while in office.
Increasing Transparency in Political Spending
Measures to increase transparency in political spending, such as the Consistent Labeling for Political Ads Act, could be implemented. This would require social media platforms to make ad labels "sticky," ensuring that paid political advertisements are clearly identified. This would make it more difficult for special interest groups to anonymously influence political decisions through financial contributions.
Enforcing Term Limits
The introduction of term limits for members of the House and senators could reduce the potential for corruption by limiting the amount of time an individual can serve in Congress. This would create more opportunities for new individuals to enter Congress, bringing fresh perspectives and making it more difficult for entrenched interests to exert influence.
Prohibiting Stock Ownership for Members of Congress
Members of Congress and their immediate family members could be prohibited from owning or trading stocks while in office, except through a qualified blind trust. This would prevent them from using insider information gained through their political positions for personal financial gain.
By implementing these measures, it is possible to build on the foundation laid by the Twenty-seventh Amendment and further reduce corruption in Congress, increasing public trust in the legislative process.
The Flag Amendment: A Constitutional Change
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The last amendment to the US Constitution was the Twenty-seventh Amendment, which was ratified on May 5, 1992.
The Twenty-seventh Amendment, also known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, 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.
The amendment was passed to reduce corruption in the legislative branch by allowing the public to remove members of Congress from office before their salaries increase.
