美国宪法第二十修正案

《美利坚合众国宪法》第二十修正案（英語：Twentieth Amendment to the United States Constitution）簡稱「第二十修正案」（Amendment XX），由美国国会于1932年3月2日提出，於1933年1月23日得到了第36个州的批准^[1]，达到法定所需要的四分之三（当时美国有48个州）多数标准而开始生效。这一条修正案对总统、副总统及国会议员的任期起始和结束的具体日期作出了规定，并规定了如果总统上任前已经死亡时的继任和补救程序。此修正案生效后，总统、副总统由原來3月4日提前在1月20日上任，国会议员由原來3月4日提前在1月3日上任。

内容文本

Section 1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.
译文：第一款　总统和副总统的任期应在本条未获批准前原定任期届满之年的1月20日正午结束，参议员和众议员的任期在本条未获批准前原定任期届满之年的1月3日正午结束，他们继任人的任期在同时开始。

Section 2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

译文：第二款　国会每年至少应开会一次，除国会以法律另订日期外，此会议在1月3日正午开始。

Section 3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.

译文：第三款　如当选总统在规定总统任期开始的时间已经死亡，当选副总统应成为总统。如在规定总统任期开始的时间以前，总统尚未选出，或当选总统不合乎资格，则当选副总统应代理总统直到一名总统已合乎资格时为止。在当选总统和当选副总统都不合乎资格时，国会得以法律规定代理总统之人，或宣布选出代理总统的办法。此人应代理总统直到一名总统或副总统合乎资格时为止。

Section 4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.

译文：第四款　国会得以法律对以下情况作出规定：在选举总统的权利转移到众议院时，而可被该院选为总统的人中有人死亡；在选举副总统的权利转移到参议院时，而可被该院选为副总统的人中有人死亡。

Section 5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.

译文：第五款　第一款和第二款应在本条批准后的10月15日生效。

Section 6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.

译文：第六款　本条除非在其提交各州之日起7年以内，由四分之三州议会批准为宪法修正案，不得发生效力^[2]^[3]。