Eleanor Finch
The most recent amendment to the United States Constitution is the Twenty-seventh Amendment, also known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789. It states that any law that increases or decreases the salary of members of Congress can only come into effect after the next election of the House of Representatives. Interestingly, it was one of the first amendments proposed in 1789, but it was not ratified until 1992, making it the most recently adopted amendment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of Amendment | Twenty-seventh Amendment (Amendment XXVII) |
| Other Names | Congressional Compensation Act of 1789 |
| Year Proposed | 1789 |
| Year Passed | 1992 |
| Content | 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 |
| Number of Amendments | 27 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The Twenty-seventh Amendment
The amendment was initially passed by Congress in 1789 with a two-thirds vote in both Houses. It was then ratified by seven states through 1792, including Kentucky, but it was not ratified by another state for eighty years. In 1992, Michigan was believed to be the 38th state to ratify the amendment, but it was later discovered that Kentucky had ratified it during its initial month of statehood. This made Alabama the 38th and final state needed to finalize the amendment's addition to the Constitution on May 5, 1992.
Amending India's Constitution: The Process Simplified
You may want to see also
Congressional Compensation Act of 1789
The Twenty-seventh Amendment (Amendment XXVII), commonly known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, is the most recently passed amendment to the United States Constitution. It was proposed by the 1st Congress on September 25, 1789, along with 11 other amendments (Articles I–XII).
The Congressional Compensation Act of 1789 states that any law that increases or decreases the salary of members of Congress can only come into effect after the next election of the House of Representatives. 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 first proposed by Representative James Madison of Virginia in the House of Representatives on June 8, 1789. Madison intended for it to 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". After being referred to a committee, the full House debated the issue and passed it, along with 16 other articles of amendment, on August 24, 1789. The proposals then moved to the Senate, which made 26 alterations.
On September 9, 1789, the Senate approved a consolidated package of 12 articles of amendment. A House-Senate conference committee was convened on September 21, 1789, to resolve differences between the House and Senate proposals. The Congressional Compensation Act of 1789 was the second proposal on the list of 12 amendments sent to the states for ratification. While the last ten Articles were ratified in 1791 to become the Bill of Rights, the Congressional Compensation Act was not ratified by enough states to come into force at that time.
The proposed 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 arguing for its ratification. Watson's paper sparked a movement to curtail political corruption by ratifying the amendment, and it was finally ratified on May 7, 1992, becoming the most recent amendment to the United States Constitution.
First Amendment: Freedom of Speech and Press
You may want to see also
27 amendments to the Constitution
The 27th Amendment to the US Constitution, also known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789, is the most recent amendment. It states that any changes to the salary of members of Congress can only take effect after the next election of the House of Representatives. It was ratified on May 7, 1992, but it was one of the first proposed amendments, dating back to 1789.
The first 10 Amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. The 11th Amendment, passed by Congress on March 4, 1794, and ratified on February 7, 1795, modified Article III, Section 2, stipulating that the judicial power of the US does not extend to suits against one of the states by citizens of another state or foreign citizens.
The 15th Amendment, ratified on February 3, 1870, granted all citizens the right to vote regardless of race and also applied to those with a "previous condition of servitude," granting the right to former slaves. The 16th Amendment, ratified on February 3, 1913, allowed Congress to collect income tax, while the 17th Amendment, ratified on April 8, 1913, gave the power to elect senators to the people of the US and laid out the terms of office.
The 18th Amendment, also known as the Prohibition Law, prohibited the manufacture, sale, or transportation of "intoxicating liquors," leading to the Prohibition Era. The 19th Amendment, ratified on August 18, 1920, granted women the right to vote, ensuring that the right to vote could not be denied or abridged by the US or any state based on sex.
Does the 9th Amendment Protect Smoking?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Bill of Rights
The most recent amendment to be passed was the Twenty-seventh Amendment (Amendment XXVII), also known as the Congressional Compensation Act of 1789. This 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.
The Twenty-seventh Amendment has a long and unique history. It was one of the first proposed amendments, submitted to the states for ratification on September 25, 1789, along with 11 other proposed amendments (Articles I-XII). However, it was not ratified by enough states at that time and was largely forgotten until 1982 when a student at the University of Texas at Austin, Gregory Watson, wrote a paper arguing for its ratification.
The amendment gained momentum, and on May 18, 1992, the Archivist of the United States certified that the amendment had been ratified by the required number of states. The Twenty-seventh Amendment officially became part of the Constitution, over 200 years after it was first proposed.
The first ten amendments to the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, were ratified on December 15, 1791. The Bill of Rights is a fundamental part of the Constitution, guaranteeing certain individual freedoms and limiting the power of the government. It includes protections such as freedom of speech, religion, and the right to bear arms.
The Constitution and Torture: Is There an Amendment?
You may want to see also
The 11th Amendment
The Eleventh Amendment (Amendment XI) is a significant addition to the United States Constitution, passed by Congress on March 4, 1794, and ratified on February 7, 1795. This amendment primarily addresses the issue of lawsuits against states, specifically restricting the ability of individuals to sue a state in federal court if they are not citizens of that state.
The Eleventh Amendment was proposed and adopted to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in Chisholm v. Georgia (1793). In that case, the Court ruled that federal courts had the power to hear cases brought by private citizens against states and that states did not possess sovereign immunity from such lawsuits initiated by citizens of other states. The amendment clarified Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution, which grants diversity jurisdiction to the judiciary to preside over cases "between a state and citizens of another state."
The text of the Eleventh Amendment states: "The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State." This amendment ensures that federal courts do not have the authority to hear cases brought against a state by citizens of another state or foreign citizens.
The Eleventh Amendment has been a subject of interpretation and debate over the years, with various Supreme Court cases shaping its understanding. For example, in Ex-Parte Young, the Supreme Court ruled that the amendment does not apply when a state official attempts to enforce an unconstitutional law. Additionally, in Pennsylvania v. Union Gas Co., the Court allowed Congress to authorize lawsuits against states under CERCLA, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, despite the state's invocation of the Eleventh Amendment.
The Eleventh Amendment continues to play a crucial role in shaping the relationship between states and the federal government, influencing the jurisdiction of federal courts and the accountability of states in legal matters.
The Deadline for Ratifying Constitutional Amendments
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Twenty-seventh Amendment (Amendment XXVII) was the most recent amendment to be passed.
The Twenty-seventh Amendment was passed on May 18, 1992, and was certified by the Archivist of the United States, Don W. Wilson.
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.
The amendment was first proposed in 1789, along with 11 other amendments, but was forgotten until 1982 when a student wrote about it in a paper. It was then ratified by enough states to come into force.
