Who has the authority to amend the Constitution?

The authority to amend the Constitution is vested in Congress and state legislatures, which means that both federal and state levels play a significant role in this process. Specifically, an amendment can be proposed either by a two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures.

Once proposed, the amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures or by conventions in three-fourths of the states. This dual involvement of both Congress and state legislatures ensures a broad consensus across different levels of government and diverse populations, reflecting the federal nature of the United States.

This method of amendment is designed to be deliberately challenging in order to prevent hasty changes to the Constitution, ensuring that only amendments with widespread support can alter the foundational legal framework of the nation.