Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution Totally Explained

Everything about United States Constitution Amendment Twenty totally explained

The Twentieth Amendment (Amendment XX) of the United States Constitution establishes some of the details dealing with the beginning and ending of the terms of the elected federal officials. Additionally, the Amendment deals with scenarios in which the President-elect, alone or together with the Vice President-elect, isn't able to take office, or in which there's no President-elect.

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History

The purpose of the amendment was to reduce the amount of time between the election of the President and Congress and the beginning of their terms. Under the Constitution as originally adopted, the terms of the President, the Vice President, and the Congress began on March 4, four months after the elections were held. While this lapse was a practical necessity during the 18th century, at which time a newly elected official might need several months to put his affairs in order and then undertake the arduous journey from his home to the national capital, it had the effect of impeding the functioning of government in the modern age. This was seen most notably as the states of the Confederate States of America seceded after the election of Abraham Lincoln but before he could take office in 1861, and while the Great Depression worsened following the election of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932, but the nation remained under the lame duck leadership of Herbert Hoover.
   Originally, under Article I, Section 4, Clause 2, the Congress was required to convene at least once each year in December. That resulted in a mandatory "lame-duck" session following each election.
   The amendment was ratified on January 23, 1933 but, because of Section 5, it didn't affect the dates for the meeting of the 73rd Congress or the inauguration of President Roosevelt and Vice President Garner, in 1933.
   On February 15, 1933, only 23 days after this amendment was ratified, President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt was the target of an unsuccessful assassination attempt by Giuseppe Zangara. If the attempt had been successful then, pursuant to Section 3, John Nance Garner would have been sworn in as President on Inauguration Day (March 4, 1933).
   The first Congressional terms to begin under Section 1 were those of the 74th Congress on January 3, 1935. The first terms of President and Vice President to begin under Section 1 were those of President Roosevelt and Vice President John Nance Garner on January 20, 1937.

Proposal and ratification

Congress proposed the Twentieth Amendment on March 2, 1932. The following states ratified the amendment:

Virginia (March 4, 1932)
New York (March 11, 1932)
Mississippi (March 16, 1932)
Arkansas (March 17, 1932)
Kentucky (March 17, 1932)
New Jersey (March 21, 1932)
South Carolina (March 25, 1932)
Michigan (March 31, 1932)
Maine (April 1, 1932)
Rhode Island (April 14, 1932)
Illinois (April 21, 1932)
Louisiana (June 22, 1932)
West Virginia (July 30, 1932)
Pennsylvania (August 11, 1932)
Indiana (August 15, 1932)
Texas (September 7, 1932)
Alabama (September 13, 1932)
California (January 4, 1933)
North Carolina (January 5, 1933)
North Dakota (January 9, 1933)
Minnesota (January 12, 1933)
Arizona (January 13, 1933)
Montana (January 13, 1933)
Nebraska (January 13, 1933)
Oklahoma (January 13, 1933)
Kansas (January 16, 1933)
Oregon (January 16, 1933)
Delaware (January 19, 1933)
Washington (January 19, 1933)
Wyoming (January 19, 1933)
Iowa (January 20, 1933)
South Dakota (January 20, 1933)
Tennessee (January 20, 1933)
Idaho (January 21, 1933)
New Mexico (January 21, 1933)
Georgia (January 23, 1933)
Missouri (January 23, 1933)
Ohio (January 23, 1933)
Utah (January 23, 1933) Ratification was completed on January 23, 1933. The amendment was subsequently ratified by the following states:
Massachusetts (January 24, 1933)
Wisconsin (January 24, 1933)
Colorado (January 24, 1933)
Nevada (January 26, 1933)
Connecticut (January 27, 1933)
New Hampshire (January 31, 1933)
Vermont (February 2, 1933)
Maryland (March 24, 1933)
Florida (April 26, 1933)

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