1. A bill from Congress: Joint resolutions are Congressional bills that propose Constitutional amendments. This bill must first be approved by a two-thirds vote in both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Once a bill receives approval in Congress, the proposed amendment is not sent to the President for approval or disapproval. Instead, the bill passes to the states. If it is approved by three-fourths of all of the state legislatures or by state ratifying conventions, it becomes a Constitutional amendment.

2. A bill from a Constitutional Convention: Two-thirds of the state legislatures may call together a Constitutional Convention whose delegates may propose a bill to amend the Constitution. This bill then passes to each of the state legislatures for ratification, or approval. If it is ratified by three-fourths of all of the state legislatures, it becomes a Constitutional amendment. This method of amending the Constitution has never been used.

Current Amendment Proposal: Federal Marriage Amendment (H.J.Res. 56; S.J.Res. 26) The current proposal was introduced in the House of Representatives on May 21, 2003; it was introduced in the Senate on November 25, 2003. It declares that marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. On February 24, 2004 President George W. Bush announced his support for a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Read the joint resolution in full and learn about its current status in Congress.

Do you think Congress should approve this bill? Will it be ratified in the states and become a Constitutional amendment? Why did Congressional leaders create this resolution, and what will its ratification mean for United States citizens?