What is the 20th Amendment in simple words?

The Twentieth Amendment is an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that sets the inauguration date for new presidential terms and the date for new sessions of Congress.

What is the 20th Amendment summary?

The Twentieth Amendment (Amendment XX) to the United States Constitution moved the beginning and ending of the terms of the president and vice president from March 4 to January 20, and of members of Congress from March 4 to January 3.

What caused the 20th Amendment?

Reformers eventually sought an amendment to push back the start date to early January in order to shorten the “lame duck” session in election years (November to the following March). In 1923, Senator George Norris of Nebraska authored the initial resolution that provided the basis for the Twentieth Amendment.

What was the purpose of the lame duck amendment?

Nicknamed the Lame Duck Amendment, it moved the inauguration date from March 4th to January 20th. The amendment also changed the opening date of a new Congress to January 3rd, thereby eliminating extended lame duck congressional sessions.

When was the 20th Amendment established?

February 6, 1933
Since this amendment was declared adopted on February 6, 1933, § 1 in effect shortened, by the interval between January 20 and March 4, 1937, The terms of the President and the Vice President elected in 1932.

What does the 21st Amendment mean in kid words?

The Twenty-First Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified on December 5, 1933. It repealed the Eighteenth Amendment, making the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic drinks legal again.

What are some effects of the 20th Amendment?

The Twentieth Amendment also provides for succession plans if the newly elected President or Vice President is unable to assume his or her position. If the President is not able to hold office, either because of death or failure to qualify, the Vice President will act as President.

What date did the 20th Amendment change?

Since this amendment was declared adopted on February 6, 1933, § 1 in effect shortened, by the interval between January 20 and March 4, 1937, The terms of the President and the Vice President elected in 1932.

Who does the 20th Amendment affect?

The terms of the President and the 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.

What was the impact of the 20th Amendment?

This amendment also shortened the period between a President’s election and inaugural, and it also fixed the problem of an outgoing, lame-duck House of Representatives choosing a President if an election went to the House due to a lack of a majority vote in the Electoral College.

Which president was a lame duck?

In his farewell speech from the office of president in January 2017, Barack Obama jokingly quipped, “You can tell that I’m a lame duck because nobody’s following instructions” when the cheering and applause from the crowd prevented him from commencing his speech.

What were the advancements that allowed for the 20th Amendment?

The 20th Amendment, also called the Lame Duck Amendment, decreased the amount of time between the presidential election and the inaugration of the new president. What were the advancements that allowed for this amendment? This was made because of advances in technology with faster travel and communication.