What is required for a constitutional amendment to be ratified?

The ratification of a constitutional amendment necessitates approval by three-fourths of the states. This means that once an amendment has passed through Congress, it must then be ratified by at least 38 out of 50 state legislatures or conventions, depending on the method chosen for ratification. This process highlights the principle of federalism within the U.S. political system, ensuring that both the national and state governments have a say in the amendment process.

The original framing of this requirement was to prevent hasty alterations to the Constitution, making it a challenging task to amend the nation's foundational legal document. This high threshold promotes stability while still allowing for the possibility of change, reflecting the dynamic nature of the country’s governance.

Other options involve roles that are not part of the formal ratification process. The President does not play a role in the ratification of amendments, as the framers of the Constitution intended for this process to be distinct from executive influence. Similarly, while Congress must first propose an amendment (requiring a supermajority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate), their approval alone does not suffice; state-level ratification is essential for finalizing any changes to the Constitution.