Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 47 Part 1.djvu/769

 PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION-1932. 745 JOI NT RES OLUTI ON P roposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United State s fixing the commencement of the terms of President and Vice Pr esident and Members of Congress and fixing the time of the assembling of Congress. Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States o f America in Congress assembled (taco-thirds o f each House concurring therein), That the following amendment to the Consti - tution be, and hereby is, proposed to the States, to become valid as a part of said Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of the sever al Sta tes as provi ded i n the Consti tution "ARTICLE-- "SEcrioN 1 . The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin. " SEC . 2 . The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day . "SEC.-3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President ele ct sh all becom e Pr esid ent. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the Pres ident elect shall have failed to qu alify, then the V ice Pr esiden t elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accord- ingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified. " SEC. 4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President- whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President when- eve r the right of cho ice s hall h ave de volved upon them . " SEC. 5, Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article. " SEC. 6. 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 su bmissi on. " JNo. N. GARNER Speaker of the House of Representatives. CwAigir s CuRTIs Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate. I certify that this Joint Resolution originated in the Senate. EDW IN P. THAY ER Secretary. [Deposited in the Department of State, March 3, 1932 .] S.1.Res.14. Amendment pro. posed to the Constitu. tion. Post, p. 2569. Terms of President Vice President,. and Congress. Ses sions of Co ngres s. Date of convening. Succession if Presi. dent elect dies before term begins . Acting Pr esident it President elect fails to qualify. Power of Congress to provide for succrgssion. Effective date of sec. tions 1 and 2. Inoperati ve, if not ratified in seven years. N