CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
PREAMBLE
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union,  establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense,  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. The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen  every second year by the people of the several States, and the elections in each  State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous  branch of the State Legislature.
No person shall be 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 the State in which he shall be  chosen.
When vacancies happen in the representation from any State, the Executive  authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies. The  House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other officers; and  shall have the sole power of impeachment.
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 choose 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.
SECTION 3. 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. 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, 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.
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.
The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but  shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. The Senate shall choose  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 Unites  States. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachment. 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.
Judgement in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than the removal  from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office or 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. 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 choosing Senators. The Congress shall assemble at least once  in every year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless  they shall be law appoint a different day.
SECTION 5. 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. 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.
Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and form time to time  publish the same, excepting such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy;  and the yeas and the nays of the members f either house on any question shall,  at the desire of one-fifth of those present, be entered on the journal. Neither  house, during the session of Congress, shall, without the consent of the other,  adjourn for more than three days, not to any other place than that in which the  two houses shall be sitting.
SECTION 6. 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 an returning from the same; and for any  speech or debate in either house, they shall not be questioned in any other  place.
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. 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. 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 approves 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 for 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 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 (Sunday excepted) after  it shall have been presented to hi, 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.
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 re-passed 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. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties,  imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for common defense and general  welfare of the Unites States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be  uniform throughout the United States;
To borrow money on the credit of the  United States;
To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the  several States, and with the Indian tribes;
To establish a uniform rule of  naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the  United States;
To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign  coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;
To provide for the  punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United  States;
To establish post offices and post roads;
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;
To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court;
To  define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses  against the law of nations;
To declare war, grant letters of marquee and  reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;
To raise and  support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer  term than two years;
To provide and maintain a Navy;
To make rules for the  government and regulation of the land and naval forces;
To provide for  calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress  insurrections and repel invasions;
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 officers, and the authority of training the militia according to  the discipline prescribed by Congress;
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
To make all laws which shall be necessary and  proper for carrying into execution the fire going 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: 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. 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.  No bill of attainder or ex post facto law shall be passed. No captivation, or  other direct, tax shall be laid, unless in proportion to the census or  enumeration herein before directed to be taken. No tax or duty shall be laid on  articles exported from any States. No preference shall be given by any  regulation of commerce revenue to the ports of one State over those of another:  nor shall be published from time to time. 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 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: No state shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confederation,  grant letters of marquee 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.
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 its 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  control of the Congress.
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.
ARTICLE II
SECTION 1: The executive power shall be vested in a President of the United  States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of four years, and,  together with the Vice President, chosen for the same term, be elected, as  follows:
Each State, shall appoint, in such manner as the legislature thereof  may direct, a number of electors, equal to the whole number of senators and  representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress; but no  senator or representative, or person holding an office of trust or profit under  the United States, shall be appointed an elector.
The electors shall meet in  their respective States, and vote by ballot for two persons, of whom one at  least shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves. And they  shall make a list of all the persons voted for, and of the number of votes for  each; which list they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of  the Government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate.  The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of  Representatives, open all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted.  The person having the greatest number of votes shall be President, if such  number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if there be  more than one who have such majority, and have an equal number of votes, then  the House of Representatives shall immediately choose by ballot one of them for  President; and if no person have a majority, then from the five highest on the  list the said House shall in like manner choose the President. Bu in choosing  the President, the votes shall be taken by States, the representation from each  State having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or  members from two thirds of the States, and a majority of all the States shall be  necessary to a choice. In every case, after the choice of the President, the  person having the greatest number of votes of the electors shall be the Vice  President. But if there should remain two or more who have equal votes, the  Senate shall choose from them by ballot the Vice President.
The Congress may  determine the time of choosing the electors, and the day on which they shall  give their votes; which day shall be the same throughout the United  States.
No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United  States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to  the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who  shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years  a resident within the United States.
In case of the removal of the President  from office, or of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers  and duties of the said office, the same shall devolve on the Vice President, and  the Congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death resignation, or  inability, both the President and Vice President, declaring what officer shall  then act as President, and such officer shall act accordingly, until the  disability be removed, or a President shall be elected.
The President shall,  at stated times, receive for his services, a compensation, which shall neither  be increased nor diminished during the period for which he shall have been  elected, and he shall not receive within that period any other emolument from  the United States, or any of them.
Before he enter on the execution of his  office, he shall take the following oath or affirmation: "I do solemnly swear  (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United  States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the  Constitution of the United States."
SECTION 2: The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of  the United States, and of the militia of the several States, when called into  the actual service of the United States; he may require the opinion, in writing,  of the principal officer in each of the Executive Departments, upon any subject  relating to the duties of their respective offices, and he shall have power to  grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in  cases of impeachment. He shall have power, by an with the advice and consent of  the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present  concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consents of the  Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, Judges of  the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose  appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be  established by law: but the Congress may be law vest the appointment of such  inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the courts  of law, or in the heads of departments. The President shall have power to fill  up all vacancies that may happen during the recess of the Senate, by granting  commissions which shall expire at the end of their next session.
SECTION 3: He shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the  state of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he  shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on extraordinary occasions, convene  both houses, or either of them, and in case of disagreement between them, with  respect to the time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall  think proper; he shall receive ambassadors and other public ministers; he shall  take care that the laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission all the  officers of the united States
SECTION 4: The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United  States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of,  treason, briber, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
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