Adding States Amendment

[Emsworth]

Adding States Amendment
The following clause is added to Article IV, Section 2 of the Constitution:

6. The Senate may by law admit new States to the Republic of Atlasia. The Senate may apportion this State to a Region and a District via proper legislation; however, the State shall still be liable to all the provisions of this Section and Section 4 of this Article.

Sponsor: Sen. MasterJedi

[Emsworth]

This seems very confusing and open to weird interpretations. 

Not as I see it. I wrote this amendment on Sen. MasterJedi's request (although I do not support it). The U.S. Constitution uses almost exactly the same language:

"New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union."

The language of the proposed amendment, as you can see, is practically identical, except for the change from passive to active voice. It just allows the Senate to admit new states by law, i.e., by statute, just as the U.S. Congress may do now.

The other part of the Amendment allows the Senate to apportion states to regions and districts, subject to the population rules for the latter.

[Emsworth]

Just to note, the current Constitution already has a clause under which any state that is admitted to the United States is also automatically admitted to Atlasia, without need for Senate action. This would allow the Senate to admit Puerto Rico, etc., even though these have not been admitted by the real-life U.S.

[Emsworth]

The question is on final passage of the constitutional amendment. All those in favor, say Aye; those opposed, say No.

[Emsworth]

AYE!!!!!!!!

That be a majority.

We need a two-thirds majority.

[Emsworth]

Which means one more, right?

Yes, that's right.

[Emsworth]

The Amendment has garnered sufficient support to pass. Senators have 24 hours to vote, or to change their votes.

[Emsworth]

There have voted:
Aye: 7
No: 1

Therefore, the Amendment passes.