To modify the Constitution, an amendment must first be proposed by either Congress or the states. Here's how the process works:
1. Proposal Stage:
- An amendment can be proposed by a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate (Congress).
- Alternatively, it can be proposed by a national convention called by Congress at the request of two-thirds (currently 34) of the state legislatures (the states).
2. Ratification Stage:
- Once an amendment is proposed, it then needs to be ratified by three-fourths (currently 38) of the state legislatures or by conventions in three-fourths of the states, depending on the method of proposal.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is that an amendment to the Constitution must first be proposed by Congress or the states. This process ensures that amendments are carefully considered and require significant support before being added to the Constitution.
