Eleanor Finch
The Twenty-seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution, commonly known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, was the last amendment to be ratified, on May 5, 1992. The amendment was one of the first 12 amendments proposed by the first Congress in 1789, and it was certified by the archivist of the United States on May 18, 1992, more than 200 years after its original proposal.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Twenty-seventh Amendment |
| Date of Ratification | May 5, 1992 |
| Date of Proposal | September 25, 1789 |
| Time between Proposal and Ratification | 202 years |
| Purpose | To reduce corruption in the legislative branch by preventing Congress from increasing their salaries without an election |
| Number of States Ratifying | 38 |
| Notable Individuals | Gregory Watson, James Madison |
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What You'll Learn
The Twenty-seventh Amendment was ratified in 1992
The Twenty-seventh Amendment, commonly known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, was ratified on May 7, 1992, and became a part of the United States Constitution. It was initially proposed in 1789 and is one of the first proposed amendments in American history.
The amendment was designed to reduce corruption in the legislative branch by requiring an election before a congressperson's salary increase takes effect. In other words, it forbids any changes to the salary of Congress members from taking effect until the next election concludes. This was to ensure that Congress did not have unlimited power over its pay and that the President did not control congressional salaries.
The Twenty-seventh Amendment has a unique history due to the time span between its proposal and ratification, as well as the lobbying campaign that brought it back into the public eye. It was one of twelve amendments proposed by Representative James Madison of Virginia in 1789. Madison's proposal was that it be added to Article I, Section 6, Clause 1 of the Constitution, which stated that senators and representatives shall receive compensation for their services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the US Treasury.
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 arguing that the amendment could still be ratified. Watson launched a nationwide campaign to complete its ratification, which gained traction in 1983 and 1984, with Maine and Colorado becoming the first new states to ratify the amendment in direct response to his campaign.
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It was first proposed in 1789
The Twenty-seventh Amendment, commonly known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, was first proposed in 1789. It was one of the 12 amendments proposed by the first Congress on September 25, 1789. The amendment was initially ratified by seven states through 1792, including Kentucky, but it was not ratified by another state for eighty years.
The amendment was proposed by Representative James Madison of Virginia, who introduced it in the House of Representatives on June 8, 1789. Madison's original intent was that it be added to the end of Article I, Section 6, Clause 1 of the Constitution, which states that "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 proposed that the amendment should instead read: "That the Compensation for the Senators and Representatives be ascertained by standing law; and that no alteration of the existing rate of Compensation shall operate for the Benefit of the Representatives, until after a subsequent Election shall have been had."
The Twenty-seventh Amendment has one of the most unusual histories of any amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It was proposed to prevent corruption in the Legislative Branch by ensuring that none of the Congress members would be paid more in their salaries before being voted out of office. Madison did not want Congress to have unlimited power over its own pay, but he also did not want the President to control congressional salaries, as that would give the President too much power over Congress. Instead, he proposed that an election had to happen before any pay raise could take effect, allowing the public to vote out congressmen who had approved an overly generous congressional pay raise.
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 in which he claimed that the amendment could still be ratified. Watson launched a nationwide campaign to complete its ratification, and by May 5, 1992, the requisite 38 states had ratified the amendment. It was certified by the archivist of the United States as the Twenty-seventh Amendment on May 18, 1992, more than 202 years after its original proposal.
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It was forgotten until a 1982 student paper
The Twenty-seventh Amendment, which requires an election before a congressperson's salary increase, was forgotten until a 1982 student paper. The amendment was first proposed in 1789 by James Madison, along with 11 other amendments, 10 of which were ratified in 1791 to become the Bill of Rights. However, the Twenty-seventh Amendment was not ratified by enough states to come into force at that time.
In 1982, Gregory Watson, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin, wrote a paper for a government class in which he argued that the amendment could still be ratified. Watson discovered that six or seven states had ratified it by 1792, and then there was little activity for almost 80 years. He concluded that the amendment could still be ratified because Congress had never stipulated a time limit for states to consider it. Watson received a "C" grade for his paper, with the teaching assistant and professor saying that he had not convinced them that the amendment was still pending.
Undeterred, Watson started a self-financed nationwide campaign to get the amendment ratified. He wrote letters to state officials, and the amendment was ratified in Maine in 1983 and Colorado in 1984. Five more states ratified it in 1985, and by May 5, 1992, the requisite 38 states had ratified the amendment. It was certified by the archivist of the United States as the Twenty-seventh Amendment on May 18, 1992, more than 202 years after its original proposal.
The Twenty-seventh Amendment has one of the most unusual histories of any amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It took 203 years for Madison's proposal to become the law of the land. The amendment's existence today can be largely traced to Watson, who has been called the "step-father" of the amendment.
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It was ratified by 38 states in 1992
The Twenty-seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution, also known as the "Congressional Compensation Act of 1789", was ratified by 38 states in 1992. It is one of the most unusual amendments in US history due to the lengthy gap between its proposal and ratification.
The Amendment was first proposed in 1789 by Representative James Madison of Virginia, along with 11 other amendments. Madison's proposal was that any changes to the salaries of Congress members should only take effect after the next election. This was to prevent Congress from having unlimited power over its own pay, while also ensuring the President did not control congressional salaries.
The Amendment was initially ratified by seven states through 1792, but then lay dormant for almost 80 years until the Ohio General Assembly ratified it in 1873. The Wyoming Legislature also ratified the article in 1978. In 1982, the amendment was revived by Gregory Watson, a 19-year-old student at the University of Texas at Austin, who wrote a paper arguing that the amendment was still relevant and could be ratified. Watson launched a nationwide campaign, and by May 5, 1992, 38 states had ratified the amendment, with Michigan being the 38th state. It was then certified by the archivist of the United States on May 18, 1992, more than 200 years after its original proposal.
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It reduces corruption in the legislative branch
The Twenty-seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1992, is unique for the long time span between its proposal and ratification. It is also notable for the lobbying campaign that brought it back into the public consciousness and the rediscovery of long-forgotten political actions associated with it.
The Twenty-seventh Amendment reduces corruption in the legislative branch by requiring an election before a congressperson's salary increase takes effect. This amendment was one of several proposed amendments to the Constitution that Representative James Madison of Virginia introduced in the House of Representatives on June 8, 1789. Madison's original intent was to prevent Congress from having unlimited power over its own pay. However, he also did not want the President to control congressional salaries, as that would give the President too much power over Congress. Therefore, he proposed that an election must happen before any pay raise could take effect. This would allow the public to vote out of office any members of Congress who approved an overly generous pay raise.
The amendment was initially forgotten, with only six states voting for ratification. However, in 1982, Gregory Watson, a 19-year-old student at the University of Texas at Austin, wrote a paper arguing that the amendment could still be ratified. Watson later launched a nationwide campaign to complete its ratification. Watson's campaign gained traction, and by May 5, 1992, the requisite 38 states had ratified the amendment.
The Twenty-seventh Amendment demonstrates the enduring relevance of the Constitution's founding principles and the ability of citizens to effect change through political advocacy. It serves as a reminder that the Constitution is a living document that can be shaped by the people to meet the evolving needs of the nation.
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Frequently asked questions
The Twenty-seventh Amendment was the last amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1992.
The amendment was about reducing corruption in the legislative branch by preventing Congress from increasing their salaries without an election having taken place.
The Twenty-seventh Amendment was first proposed in 1789 and ratified by seven states through 1792. However, it was then forgotten until 1982 when Gregory Watson, a 19-year-old student at the University of Texas at Austin, wrote a paper arguing for its ratification. Watson then started a nationwide campaign, and by 1992, enough states had ratified the amendment for it to become part of the Constitution.
