How can an amendment to the Constitution be proposed?

An amendment to the Constitution can be proposed by a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress. This method underscores the significant consensus required in the legislative branch to make a substantial change to the nation's foundational legal document. The rationale behind this requirement is to ensure that amendments reflect a broad agreement across diverse political perspectives and interests, rather than a mere majority that may not represent the views of the entire country.

This process reinforces the framers' intention to create a stable legal framework that protects against hasty or impulsive changes. While other methods of proposing amendments do exist, such as a constitutional convention called by two-thirds of the state legislatures, this particular method involving Congress is the most commonly used in practice. The options involving a simple majority, a vote by the states, or the President's approval do not align with the established procedures outlined in Article V of the Constitution, which delineates the formal approach to amending the document.