Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution facts for kids

The Twentieth Amendment (also known as Amendment XX) is an important change to the Constitution of the United States. It was approved on January 23, 1933. This amendment changed the dates when the President, Vice President, and members of Congress start and end their jobs.

Before this amendment, new presidents and vice presidents started their terms on March 4. Members of Congress started on March 1. The Twentieth Amendment moved these dates much earlier. Now, the President and Vice President start their terms at noon on January 20. Members of Congress start at noon on January 3. This amendment also explains what happens if a president-elect cannot take office.

What the Twentieth Amendment Does

The Twentieth Amendment has a few main parts that are important for how the U.S. government works.

New Start Dates for Leaders

This amendment changed the official start and end times for government leaders.

• The President and Vice President now finish their terms at noon on January 20. Their replacements start at the same time.
• Senators and Representatives in Congress finish their terms at noon on January 3. New members also start then.

When Congress Meets

The amendment also says that Congress must meet at least once every year. This meeting usually begins at noon on January 3. However, Congress can choose a different day if they pass a law to do so.

What if a President-Elect Dies or Can't Serve?

This part of the amendment deals with special situations.

• If the person elected as President (the "President-elect") dies before their term begins, the person elected as Vice President (the "Vice President-elect") becomes President.
• If a President has not been chosen by January 20, or if the President-elect cannot qualify for the job, then the Vice President-elect acts as President. They serve until a President can qualify.
• Congress can also make laws about what happens if neither a President-elect nor a Vice President-elect can qualify. They can decide who will act as President in such cases.

What if a Candidate Dies?

The amendment also gives Congress the power to make laws about what happens if a candidate dies. This applies if the House of Representatives needs to choose a President. It also applies if the Senate needs to choose a Vice President.

Why the Amendment Was Needed

When the Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution in the late 1700s, travel and communication were very slow. It took weeks to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Traveling across the U.S. by horse or carriage on rough roads took a long time. Sending messages mainly happened by letter or messenger.

Because of this, the Founding Fathers allowed a long time between the election in November and the swearing-in in March. This four-month period was necessary back then. It gave elected officials enough time to travel to the capital and prepare for their new roles.

Faster Travel and Communication

By the 1930s, things had changed a lot. A train could cross the country in just three days. The Post Office had even started using airmail in 1918. Travel and communication were much faster. The long waiting period was no longer needed.

Ending "Lame Duck" Sessions

Faster travel was not the only reason for the Twentieth Amendment. Republican Senator George W. Norris of Nebraska led the effort for this amendment. He called it the "Lame Duck" Amendment.

A "lame duck" is a politician who has lost an election but is still in office for a short time before the new person takes over. Senator Norris wanted to stop these "lame duck" sessions of Congress. In these sessions, outgoing members could still vote on laws for several months. He believed that members who had been voted out should not be making important decisions. The amendment he wrote applied to both houses of Congress, and to the President and Vice President.

The amendment also made sure that if a president-elect died before taking office, the vice president-elect would automatically become president. This made the succession process clearer.

Impact of the Twentieth Amendment

The time between an election and when new terms begin is called a "lame duck" period. This is because members of Congress who lost their elections are still in office. The term "lame duck" originally meant someone who couldn't pay their debts. In politics, it means a representative who is no longer responsible to the voters because they won't be re-elected.

The people who created the Twentieth Amendment felt that "lame duck" representatives should not vote on laws. Voters had already shown they did not agree with their views. The Twentieth Amendment shortened this "lame duck" period by six weeks. This means there is less time for outgoing officials to make decisions after the voters have chosen new leaders.

Since 1933, Congress has held many "lame duck" sessions where laws were passed, but the period is much shorter now.

See also

In Spanish: Vigésima Enmienda a la Constitución de los Estados Unidos para niños