The 27th Amendment (Encore)

Origins

The 27th Amendment, initially proposed in 1789, was part of a collection of twelve amendments, known today as the Bill of Rights. However, only ten of these amendments were ratified at the time, leaving the 27th Amendment dormant for over two centuries. This amendment, which prevents Congress from granting itself immediate pay raises, was finally ratified in 1992, marking a unique journey in constitutional history 1. As Gary Arndt explains, "From the time it was passed by Congress to the time it was ratified by the last state took a whopping 204 years" 2.

   

Revival

The revival of the 27th Amendment in the 20th century was largely driven by Gregory Watson, a determined undergraduate student. After receiving a C on a paper about the amendment, Watson embarked on a campaign to get it ratified, demonstrating the power of individual initiative 3. His efforts paid off when Michigan ratified the amendment in 1992, completing its long journey to becoming part of the Constitution. Watson's story is a testament to how "one extremely dedicated, extremely vocal, energetic person could push this through" 3.