Throughout the history of the Constitution, 27 changes have been made through the amendment process
Amendments are not easy to pass, and several amendments have been proposed over time
but which failed to pass the second hurdle, acceptance by the states
This page lists the amendments to the Constitution which have not yet passed
Some, because of the language of the bill that passed the Congress
have no expiration date and are still pending ratification. Others have built-in expiration dates
The text details which of the amendments are expired. Article 1 of the original Bill of Rights
This amendment, proposed in 1789, dealt with the number of persons represented by each member of the House
and the number of members of the House. It essentially said that once the House hit 100 members, it should not go below 100
and once it reached 200, it should not go below 200. Since there are over 400 members today, this amendment would be the factomute today
It is, however, still outstanding. Congressional research shows that the amendment was ratified by ten states, the last being in 1791
The text, after the first enumeration required by the first article of the Constitution
states that there shall be one representative for every 30,000, until the number shall amount to 100
after which the proportion shall be so regulated by Congress, that there shall be not less than 100 representatives, nor less than one representative for every 40,000 persons
until the number of representatives shall amount to 200, after which the proportion shall be so regulated by Congress
that there shall not be less than 200 representatives, nor more than one representative for every 50,000 persons
The Anti-Title Amendment This amendment, submitted to the states in the Eleventh Congress, in 1810
said that any citizen who accepted or received any title of nobility from a foreign power
or who accepted without the consent of Congress any gift from a foreign power
by would no longer be a citizen there is some debate about whether this amendment was actually ratified or not
mostly by those who put forth the fanciful notion that if it had been, most, if not all, legislators who were lawyers
and who used the title Esquire would no longer be citizens, and hence, no longer be able to serve in Congress
This amendment is still outstanding. Congressional research shows that the amendment was ratified by twelve states, the last being in 1812
The text, If any citizen of the United States shall accept, claim, receive or retain any title of nobility or honor
or shall, without the consent of Congress, accept and retain any present, pension, office or emolument of any kind whatever
from any emperor, king, prince or foreign power, such person shall cease to be a citizen of the United States, and shall be incapable of holding any office of trust or profit under them
or either of them. The Slavery Amendment In 1861, an amendment prohibiting the Congress from making any law interfering with the domestic institutions of any state
slavery being specifically mentioned, was proposed and sent to the states. This amendment is still outstanding
Congressional research shows that the amendment was ratified by two states, the last being in 1862
This amendment is also known as the Corwin Amendment, as it was proposed by Ohio Representative Thomas Corwin
The text, No amendment shall be made to the Constitution which will authorize or give to Congress the power to abolish or interfere, within any state
with the domestic institutions thereof, including that of persons held to labor or service by the laws of said state
The Child Labor Amendment In 1926, an amendment was proposed which granted Congress the power to regulate the labor of children under the age of 18
This amendment is still outstanding, having been ratified by 28 states. Ratification by 38 states is required to add an amendment
Congressional research shows that the amendment was ratified by 28 states, the last being in 1937
The text, Section 1. The Congress shall have power to limit, regulate, and prohibit the labor of persons under 18 years of age
Section 2. The power of the Federal States is unimpaired by this article except that the operation of state laws shall be suspended to the extent necessary
to give effect to legislation enacted by the Congress. The Equal Rights Amendment, E.R.A
The E.R.A.'s first section states equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex
It was intended to place into law the equality of men and women
It was sent to the states in March 1972. The original seven-year deadline was extended to ten years
It expired unratified in 1982. The text, Section 1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex
Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article
Section 3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification
The Washington, D.C. Voting Rights Amendment granted the citizens of Washington, D.C. the same full representation in Congress as any state
and repealed the Twenty-third Amendment granting the district votes in the Electoral College, since it would have been moved
Proposed in 1978, it expired unratified in 1985. The text, Section 1
For purposes of representation in the Congress, election of the President and Vice President, and Article V of this Constitution
the district constituting the seat of government of the United States shall be treated as though it were a state
Section 2. The exercise of the rights and powers conferred under this article shall be by the people of the district constituting the seat of government
and as shall be provided by the Congress. Section 3. The Twenty-third Article of Amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed
Section 4. This article shall be inoperative, unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the Legislatures of three-fourths of the several states within seven years from the date of its submission