The Article V Convention to Propose Constitutional Amendments: Contemporary Issues for Congress

Article V of the U.S. Constitution provides two methods by which the nation’s founding charter may be amended. The first, Amendment by Congressional Proposal, requires the adoption of an amendment or amendments by a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress; the second, generally referred to as the “Article V Convention” method, authorizes the states to apply to Congress for a convention for proposing an amendment or amendments. If the legislatures of two-thirds of the states, 34 at present, do, in fact, apply for a convention, Congress is obliged to convene one. Both methods then require the approval of three-fourths of the states, 38 at present, in order to become part of the Constitution.