A Revised 27th Amendment

Some time ago I proposed a 27th amendment to the US Constitution intended to restore the function of the Senate to protect State interests. Reading it now, there are a number of changes I would make to improve the amendment in clarity and effect. The principal purpose remains the same.



AMENDMENT XXVII


Section 1. [1] The seventeenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

[2] If the Legislature of a State shall fail to choose a Senator before the first annual meeting of the Congress, the Executive Authority of the State shall appoint an individual to fill such vacancy until such time as the Legislature may act.

Section 2. The authority of the Congress to regulate commerce among the several States shall extend only to affirmative acts of commerce among parties located in diverse States.

Section 3. [1] Every Bill creating new law or amending existing law, when introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate, and every amendment thereafter made to such Bill, shall present all new matter as underscored text, and all eliminated matter must appear in its proper place enclosed in brackets.

[2] No amendment shall be allowed to any Bill which is not germane to the original object or purpose thereof.

[3] No Bill shall be passed by the House of Representatives or the Senate other than upon an affirmative vote upon the Bill, and recorded in its Journal of Proceedings.

Section 4. The purpose of an election being to choose a suitable individual to fill an office, in any election held for the office of President of the United States, or the office of Vice President, or of Representative or Senator, any ballot in such election shall indicate only the office subject to election and the name of each candidate therefor, and all other information concerning the candidates, including his or her party affiliations, if any, shall be stricken from the ballot and not appear anywhere thereon.