United States Constitution Article V

Article V

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.

---

Article V of the United States Constitution outlines the process for amending the Constitution, reflecting the foresight of the founding fathers to ensure the document's adaptability to future generations. The article stipulates that an amendment may be proposed either by two-thirds vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures. Additionally, for an amendment to be ratified and become part of the Constitution, it must be approved by three-fourths of the state legislatures or by conventions in three-fourths of the states. This deliberate and rigorous process ensures that any amendments to the Constitution are the result of substantial consensus, safeguarding the integrity of the nation's foundational principles.