Amending the U.S. Constitution.

Even though constitutional amendments are rare, there’s often talk in America about changing the United States Constitution. Search recent news articles from the last eight weeks and report on a story about an effort to amend the U.S. Constitution. Be sure to explain why an amendment would be needed rather than just a basic change in federal law.

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Sample Answer

Republicans Push to Amend Constitution to Bar Same-Sex Marriage

A group of Republican lawmakers is pushing to amend the U.S. Constitution to bar same-sex marriage. The amendment, which is being called the “Marriage Amendment,” would define marriage as between one man and one woman.

The amendment is being supported by a number of conservative groups, including the National Organization for Marriage and the Family Research Council. These groups argue that the amendment is necessary to protect traditional marriage.

Opponents of the amendment argue that it is unnecessary and discriminatory. They point out that same-sex marriage has been legal in the United States for over a decade, and that there is no evidence that it has harmed traditional marriage.

The amendment would need to be approved by two-thirds of both the House of Representatives and the Senate before it could be sent to the states for ratification. It is unlikely that the amendment would be able to get the necessary votes in the House, as Democrats control the chamber. However, if Republicans were to win control of the House in the 2022 midterm elections, the amendment would become a more realistic possibility.

Full Answer Section

An amendment to the U.S. Constitution would be needed rather than just a basic change in federal law because the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Any law that conflicts with the Constitution is invalid. This means that if Congress were to pass a law that legalized same-sex marriage, it could be struck down by the courts if the amendment were to be ratified.

The Marriage Amendment is just one of a number of proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution that have been floated in recent years. Other proposed amendments include an amendment to ban abortion and an amendment to require balanced budgets. It is unlikely that any of these amendments will be ratified, but they do reflect the deep divisions that exist in American society on a number of important issues.

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