"The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem
it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution . . . ."
Article V
Despite Congress's
reluctance to consider any amendments to the Constitution, Rep. James Madison
of Virginia forced it to face the issue early in the first session. The states
had proposed more than two hundred amendments during the ratification process.
When repetitious amendments are eliminated, over one hundred separate proposals
can be identified. Most sought to change the structure of the federal government
or the balance of power between it and the states, while others focused on
protecting individual rights.
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