The Equal Opportunity to Govern Amendment, also known as the Hatch Amendment or Arnold Amendment, is a proposed United States constitutional amendment that would remove the Constitution's requirement that the president and vice president must be natural-born citizens. It was proposed in July 2003 by senator Orrin Hatch, and would allow naturalized citizens to run for either office when they have been citizens for 20 years. The name Arnold Amendment is a reference to Arnold Schwarzenegger, a naturalized citizen and the governor of California from 2003 to 2011.
The text of the amendment reads as follows:
Section 1. A person who is a citizen of the United States, who has been for 20 years a citizen of the United States, and who is otherwise eligible to the Office of President, is not ineligible to that Office by reason of not being a native-born citizen of the United States.
Section 2. This article shall not take effect unless it has been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States not later than 7 years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.
The amendment was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Hearings were held on October 5, 2004, two months before the end of the second session of the 108th United States Congress, but no further action was taken.
This proposal was widely seen as an attempt to make new California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (born in Austria and naturalized in 1983) eligible for the presidency and is sometimes nicknamed the "Arnold Amendment" or "Amend for Arnold".[1][2][3] Other politicians not born as American citizens who would benefit from such an amendment include former Governor of Michigan and current United States Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm (born in Canada), congresswoman Ilhan Omar (born in Somalia), and former Secretary of Labor and Transportation Elaine Chao (born in Taiwan).
A poll from 2003 and 2004 found that a majority of Americans were opposed to the amendment.[4]
^Cosgrove-Mather, Bootie (October 24, 2003). "The 'Arnold Amendment'". CBS News. Archived from the original on October 23, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
^"'Amend for Arnold' campaign launched". www.sfgate.com. November 18, 2004. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
^Associated Press (November 30, 2004). "Foreign-Born President Amendment Sought". Fox News. Archived from the original on October 23, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
^"Americans Not Pumped About "Arnold Amendment"". December 7, 2004.
and 27 Related for: Equal Opportunity to Govern Amendment information
The EqualOpportunitytoGovernAmendment, also known as the Hatch Amendment or Arnold Amendment, is a proposed United States constitutional amendment that...
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendmentto the U.S. Constitution that would, if added, explicitly prohibit sex discrimination. It was...
consequential amendments, it addresses citizenship rights and equal protection under the law and was proposed in response to issues related to formerly enslaved...
of equal employment opportunity is that the important jobs in an organization should go to the people who are most qualified – persons most likely to perform...
morally repugnant. Equalopportunity is referenced to individual merits, it never guarantees equal results. To the contrary, enforcing equal outcome regardless...
The Thirteenth Amendment (Amendment XIII) to the United States Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime...
vague laws and an implied equal protection requirement similar to the Fourteenth Amendment'sEqual Protection Clause. The amendment as proposed by Congress...
The Twelfth Amendment (Amendment XII) to the United States Constitution provides the procedure for electing the president and vice president. It replaced...
to have Virginia be the 38th and final state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment" (Tweet) – via Twitter. Virginia becomes 38th state to ratify Equal...
same resources, education, and opportunitiesto succeed in life. By promoting equalopportunities, egalitarianism aims to level the playing field and reduce...
The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution prevents the government from making laws respecting an establishment of religion; prohibiting...
Gross govern all Eighth Amendment challenges alleging that a method of execution inflicts unconstitutionally cruel pain. When a convict sentenced to death...
Griffiths, he was the amendment's chief spokesperson. For 20 years, Smith had sponsored the Equal Rights Amendment (with no linkage to racial issues) in the...
this case, to St. Mary's Hospital, a Catholic organization. This area of substantive constitutional law is governed by the Fifth Amendment, which is understood...
dissenting opinions he emphasized individual rights, fundamental fairness, equalopportunity and protection under the law, the supremacy of the Constitution as...
and that money bills should originate in the lower house (not subject toamendment by the upper chamber). Sherman sided with the two-house national legislature...
down state laws for failing to conform to the Contract Clause (see, e.g., Dartmouth College v. Woodward), the Equal Protection Clause (see, e.g., Brown v...
and 1870, the states ratified the Reconstruction Amendments, which abolished slavery, guaranteed equal protection of the law, and implemented prohibitions...
authored more than one constitutional amendment. Bayh also led unsuccessful efforts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment and eliminate the Electoral College...
Twenty-third Amendment explicitly stipulates states that the District is entitled to choose "(a) number of electors of President and Vice President equalto the...
as Chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) the next year. President George H. W. Bush nominated Thomas to the United States Court...