Amendment, Twenty-Seventh

Amendment to the US Constitution, ratified in 1992, that requires a congressional election to be held before any law changing congressional salaries can go into effect, thereby preventing Congress from increasing salaries for itself.

Although this amendment was ratified at the end of the 20th century, it was originally proposed in 1789. With no expiration date for ratification, the amendment took more than 200 years to gain enough states' approval.