why a constitutional amendment is the only way to ensure continuity of Congress, and what Senate Joint Resolution 23 would do.
In the days and weeks following 9/11, Americans soon realized that another such attack could cripple Congress and trigger a constitutional crisis. But for a late departure and the ensuing heroism of its passengers, United Airlines Flight 93 might have destroyed the Capitol Building and disabled Congress, leaving the nation with no constitutional means of legislative response. The emergency funding and legislation enacted in the days and weeks following 9/11 might not have been available had events unfolded differently that day. Under the Seventeenth Amendment, state legislatures may empower governors to make immediate temporary appointments if a Senator dies in office, and 47 states have done so. But several months are required to fill vacancies in the House by special election – time we may not have. Last month, the House approved legislation that would require expedited special elections in the event that more than 100 House Members are killed.
Related Questions
- why a constitutional amendment is the only way to ensure continuity of Congress, and what Senate Joint Resolution 23 would do.
- What is the essential difference between a constitutional amendment and a law passed by Congress?
- Does House Joint Resolution 28, the Voting Rights Amendment, eliminate the Electoral College?
