SECTION 2
The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
COMMENTARY:
This amendment forbids states from denying the vote to citizens because of their age if they
are 18 years of age or older.
Amendment 27
CONGRESSIONAL SALARIES
This amendment was proposed on September 25, 1789, and ratified on May 7, 1992.
No law, varying the compensation for the
services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of
Representatives shall have intervened.
COMMENTARY:
This amendment, originally proposed by James Madison, was approved by Congress in
1789 and submitted to the states for ratification, but after 200 years had not been ratified by
the requisite 38 states. Public criticism of congressional pay raises led the state of Michigan to
ratify this amendment on May 7, 1992, providing the 38th ratification. This amendment ensures
that if Senators or members of the House of Representatives vote to raise their own pay, only
members of the subsequent Congresses (which may include incumbents as well as newly
elected congressmen) will benefit from the raise. 3