Equal Opportunity to Govern Amendment

Equal Opportunity to Govern Amendment‏‎, also known as the Arnold Amendment, is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that seeks to alter the natural-born-citizen clause. This clause currently stipulates that only natural-born citizens of the United States are eligible to serve as President or Vice President. The amendment aims to extend eligibility to foreign-born citizens who have been U.S. citizens for at least 20 years.

Background

The Equal Opportunity to Govern Amendment was first introduced in the Congress in July 2003 by Senator Orrin Hatch. The amendment is often referred to as the "Arnold Amendment" due to the public support of Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Austrian-born actor and former Governor of California, who would be a potential beneficiary of such an amendment.

Provisions

The amendment proposes to change Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 of the United States Constitution. The current clause states that "No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President." The proposed amendment would add "or a person who has been a citizen of the United States for at least 20 years" to this clause.

Support and Opposition

Supporters of the amendment argue that it would provide equal opportunity to all citizens, regardless of their place of birth, to serve in the highest offices of the land. They contend that the natural-born-citizen clause is outdated and discriminatory.

Opponents, however, argue that the natural-born-citizen clause is a vital safeguard that ensures the loyalty of the President and Vice President to the United States. They contend that allowing foreign-born citizens to serve in these roles could pose national security risks.

Current Status

As of now, the Equal Opportunity to Govern Amendment has not been ratified. To become part of the Constitution, it must be approved by a two-thirds majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and ratified by three-fourths of the states.