Opinion: It took 200 years for the 27th Amendment to be ratified. Here's what it's about

Editor's note: This is a regular feature on issues related to the Constitution and civics education written by Paul G. Summers, retired judge and state attorney general.

We have 27 Amendments to the United States Constitution. Each is part of the Constitution. The last amendment to be ratified is the 27th Amendment. This amendment was ratified over two centuries after the original Constitution was ratified.

"No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened."

This is the language of the 27th Amendment.

This amendment was included as one of the Bill of Rights when submitted to Congress in 1789. Unlike the first 10 amendments, the amendment was not ratified together with the 10 Bill of Rights. In May 1992, with the vote of Michigan, the Amendment was eventually ratified.

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What this means is that Congress can pass a bill that varies the pay of representatives and senators, but it cannot take effect until an election for the House of Representatives (November) shall have intervened. That means that the public gets some say at the election as to whether they agree or disagree with a variance of pay. This seems prudent and reasonable.

One has to question why the amendment took more than two centuries to be ratified, and the Bill of Rights took about two years.It was about time.

Studying the Constitution is time well spent This column concludes our discussion of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution's 27 Amendments. I have enjoyed sharing my thoughts and opinions with you. These are my personal interpretations and opinions. I learn something with every column I write. Please continue to study the Constitution of the United States and its Amendments. Such study enhances your experience as a citizen of our state and nation.

I applaud efforts to enhance public education regarding government and citizenship. These efforts promote civics education, which is lacking in many of our curricula. Every citizen should have a fundamental understanding of our Constitution. I appreciate the support and publication by our newspapers and publishers. We all have tried to fill that educational vacuum. Feedback has been positive for the columns that have been read by the public.

Thank you very much for your study and discipline. I appreciate each of you. Reading and studying the Constitution is, indeed, time well spent.

Please continue to read the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. The guest columnist strives to be nonpartisan in voluntarily delivering his s. These s represent his personal opinions. The publication is responsible for graphics and design, titles, editing, and production.

We appreciate our readers. We encourage civil discourse on s. We are appreciative of and enjoy comments on the various s by the guest columnist.

Paul G. Summers, a lawyer, is a former appellate and senior judge, district attorney general, and the attorney general of Tennessee. Raised in Fayette County, Judge Summers resides in Nashville and Holladay.