CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA—1787 1
WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in Order to
form a more perfect Union, establish Justice,
insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the
common defence, promote the general Welfare,
and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of
America.
ARTICLE. I.
SECTION 1. All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United
States, which shall consist of a Senate and
House of Representatives.
SECTION. 2. 1The House of Representatives
shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States,
and the Electors in each State shall have the
Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most
numerous Branch of the State Legislature. 2 No Person shall be a Representative who
shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five
Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the
United States, and who shall not, when elected,
be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall
be chosen. 3 Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may
be included within this Union, according to
their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free
Persons, including those bound to Service for a
Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed,
three fifths of all other Persons.2 The actual
Enumeration shall be made within three Years
after the first Meeting of the Congress of the
United States, and within every subsequent
Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall
by Law direct. The Number of Representatives
shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand,
but each State shall have at Least one Representative; and until such enumeration shall be
made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to chuse three, Massachusetts eight, RhodeIsland and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New-York six, New Jersey four,
Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland
six, Virginia ten, North Carolina five, South
Carolina five, and Georgia three. 4When vacancies happen in the Representation
from any State, the Executive Authority thereof
shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies. 5The House of Representatives shall chuse
their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have
the sole Power of Impeachment.
SECTION. 3. 1The Senate of the United States
shall be composed of two Senators from each
State, chosen by the Legislature thereof,3 for six
Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA—1787 Page II
4This clause has been affected by clause 2 of amendment
XVIII.
5This clause has been affected by amendment XX. 6This clause has been affected by amendment XXVII.
2 Immediately after they shall be assembled in
Consequence of the first Election, they shall be
divided as equally as may be into three Classes.
The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall
be vacated at the Expiration of the second Year,
of the second Class at the Expiration of the
fourth Year, and of the third Class at the Expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may
be chosen every second Year; and if Vacancies
happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the
Recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next Meeting of the Legislature,
which shall then fill such Vacancies.4
3 No Person shall be a Senator who shall not
have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and
been nine Years a Citizen of the United States,
and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen. 4The Vice President of the United States shall
be President of the Senate, but shall have no
Vote, unless they be equally divided. 5The Senate shall chuse their other Officers,
and also a President pro tempore, in the Absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the Office of President of the United
States. 6The Senate shall have the sole Power to try
all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation.
When the President of the United States is
tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no
Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present. 7Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not
extend further than to removal from Office, and
disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of
honor, Trust or Profit under the United States:
but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be
liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.
SECTION. 4. 1The Times, Places and Manner of
holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the
Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at
any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators. 2The Congress shall assemble at least once in
every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the
first Monday in December,5 unless they shall by
Law appoint a different Day.
SECTION. 5. 1Each House shall be the Judge of
the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its
own Members, and a Majority of each shall constitute a Quorum to do Business; but a smaller
Number may adjourn from day to day, and may
be authorized to compel the Attendance of absent Members, in such Manner, and under such
Penalties as each House may provide. 2Each House may determine the Rules of its
Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly
Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two
thirds, expel a Member. 3Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to time publish the
same, excepting such Parts as may in their
Judgment require Secrecy; and the Yeas and
Nays of the Members of either House on any
question shall, at the Desire of one fifth of those
Present, be entered on the Journal. 4 Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other,
adjourn for more than three days, nor to any
other Place than that in which the two Houses
shall be sitting.
SECTION. 6. 1The 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.6 They shall in all
Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the
Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their
Attendance at the Session of their respective
Houses, and in going to and returning from the
same; and for any Speech or Debate in either
House, they shall not be questioned in any other
Place. 2 No Senator or Representative shall, during
the Time for which he was elected, be appointed
to any civil Office under the Authority of the
United States, which shall have been created, or
the Emoluments whereof shall have been
encreased during such time; and no Person holding any Office under the United States, shall be
a Member of either House during his Continuance in Office.
SECTION. 7. 1 All Bills for raising Revenue shall
originate in the House of Representatives; but
the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills. 2Every Bill which shall have passed the House
of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before
it become a Law, be presented to the President
of the United States; If he approve he shall sign
it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on
their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If
after such Reconsideration two thirds of that
House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be
sent, together with the Objections, to the other
House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that
House, it shall become a Law. But in all such
Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and Nays, and the Names of the