Section 1 [Legislative Power Vested]
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 [House of Representatives]
(1) The 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.
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, Rhode Island 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.
(4) When vacancies happen in the Representation from any
State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of
Election to fill such Vacancies.
(5) The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and
other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.
Section 3 [Senate]
(1) The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two
Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for
six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.
(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.
(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, by an
Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.
(4) The Vice President of the United States shall be President of
the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally
divided.
(5) The 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.
(6) The 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.
(7) Judgment 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 [Elections of Senators and Representatives]
(1) The 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.
(2) The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year,
and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December,
unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.
Section 5 [Rules of House and Senate]
(1) Each 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.
(2) Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings,
punish its Members for disorderly Behavior, and, with the
Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.
(3) Each 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 [Compensation and Privileges]
(1) 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. 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 increased
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 [Bills]
(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.
(2) Every 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 the 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 Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered
on the Journal of each House respectively. If any Bill shall not
be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays
excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same
shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the
Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return in which
Case it shall not be a Law.
(3) Every Order, Resolution, or Vote, to Which the
Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may
be necessary (except on a question of Adjournment) shall be
presented to the President of the United States; and before the
Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him, or being
disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two thirds of the
Senate and House of Representatives, according to the Rules
and Limitations prescribed in the Case of a Bill.
Section 8 [Legislative Power]
(1) The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes,
Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for
the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States;
but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout
the United States;
(2) To borrow money on the credit of the United States;
(3) To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the
several States. and with the Indian Tribes;
(4) To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform
Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United
States;
(5) To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign
Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
(6) To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the
Securities and current Coin of the United States;
(7) To Establish Post Offices and Post Roads;
(8) To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by
securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the
exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
(9) To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
(10) To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on
the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;
(11) To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and
make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
(12) To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of
Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
(13) To provide and maintain a Navy;
(14) To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the
land and naval Forces;
(15) To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws
of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
(16) To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the
Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be
employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the
States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the
Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline
prescribed by Congress;
(17) To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever,
over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by
Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress,
become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to
exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the
Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall
be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards,
and other needful Buildings; - And
(18) To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for
carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other
Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the
United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Section 9 [Limits on Legislative Power]
(1) The Migration or Importation of Such Persons as any of the
States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be
prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight
hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such
Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.
(2) The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be
suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the
public Safety may require it.
(3) No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.
(4) No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in
Proportion to the Census or Enumeration herein before directed
to be taken.
(5) No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any
State.
(6) No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of
Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of
another: nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State be
obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.
(7) No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in
Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular
Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all
public Money shall be published from time to time.
(8) No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States:
And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under
them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any
present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever,
from any King, Prince, or foreign State.
Section 10 [Limits on States]
(1) No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or
Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin
Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and
silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of
Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation
of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.
(2) No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any
Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be
absolutely necessary for executing it's inspection Laws: and the
net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on
Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the
United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the
Revision and Controul of the Congress.
(3) No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any
Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of
Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another
State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless
actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit
of delay.