Amendment XXIX
Section 1.
The power to enforce the justice of the United States shall be vested in an Attorney General of the United States. The Attorney General shall hold office during a term of four years that shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and, together with the Deputy Attorney General of the United States, chosen for the same term, be elected, as follows:
All eligible persons, in their respective State, District, and Territory and in such manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, may vote by ballot for the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as Attorney General, and in distinct ballots, the person voted for as Deputy Attorney General. Each State, District, and Territory shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as Attorney General, and of all persons voted for as Deputy Attorney General, and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives; — the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted; — The person having the greatest number of votes for Attorney General, shall be the Attorney General. The person having the greatest number of votes as Deputy Attorney General, shall be the Deputy Attorney General.
Section 2.
The Attorney General shall have the power to nominate and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint attorneys of the United States and all other counsel employed on behalf of the United States: but, after the ratification of this amendment, the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such counsel, as they think proper, in the President, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments. The Attorney General shall take Care that the laws be faithfully executed, and shall Commission all the attorneys of the United States.
Section 3.
The Congress may determine the Time which eligible persons may cast ballots, and the Day on which each State, District, and Territory shall transmit their list of Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.
Section 4.
The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary, general, special or other election for Attorney General or Deputy Attorney General or any other Office of Trust, Honor, or Profit under the United States, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State, District, or Territory by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.
Section 5.
In case of the removal of the Attorney General from office, or of their death, or resignation from office, the Deputy Attorney General shall become Attorney General, and the Congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death, or resignation, both of the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General, declaring what officer shall then act as Attorney General, and such officer shall become Attorney General until the term of four years shall end.
Section 6.
Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Deputy Attorney General, the Attorney General shall nominate a Deputy Attorney General who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.
Section 7.
Whenever the Attorney General transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Deputy Attorney General as Acting Attorney General.
Section 8.
Whenever the Deputy Attorney General and a majority of either the principal officers of the justice departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the Attorney General is unable to discharge the powers and duties of their office, the Deputy Attorney General shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting Attorney General. Thereafter, when the Attorney General transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that no inability exists, they shall resume the powers and duties of their office unless the Deputy Attorney General and a majority of either the principal officers of the justice department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the Attorney General is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by a two-thirds vote of both Houses that the Attorney General is unable to discharge the powers and duties of their office, the Deputy Attorney General shall become Attorney General; otherwise, the Attorney General shall resume the powers and duties of their office.
Section 9.
If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the Attorney General, the Attorney General-elect shall have died, the Deputy Attorney General-elect shall become Attorney General. If an Attorney General shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of their term, or if the Attorney General-elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Deputy Attorney General-elect shall act as Attorney General until an Attorney General shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither an Attorney General-elect nor a Deputy Attorney General-elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as Attorney General, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until an Attorney General or Deputy Attorney General shall have qualified.
Section 10.
The Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General shall, at stated times, receive for their services, a Compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the period for which they shall have been elected, and they shall not receive within that Period any other emolument from the United States, or any of them.
Section 11.
No person shall be elected to the office of the Attorney General more than twice, and no person who has held the office of Attorney General, or acted as Attorney General, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected Attorney General shall be elected to the office of the Attorney General more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office or to have previously held the office of Attorney General when this Article is ratified.
Section 12.
No person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Attorney General of the United States.
Section 13.
No person constitutionally ineligible to the office of Attorney General shall be eligible to that of Deputy Attorney General of the United States.
Section 14.
No person ineligible to practice law in one of the several States, Districts, or Territories shall be eligible to the office of the Attorney General of the United States.
Section 15.
Before the Attorney General-elect enters on the Execution of their Office, they shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:—"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of Attorney General of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
