Impeachment in the United States

Impeachment in the United States is a process outlined in the United States Constitution that allows for the removal of high-ranking officials from office, including the President of the United States. The process is initiated by the United States House of Representatives, and the trial is conducted by the United States Senate.

Overview

Impeachment is a constitutional remedy to address serious offenses against the system of government. It is a two-step process, with the first step being the impeachment itself, which is essentially an indictment. The second step is the trial. Both steps are necessary for the removal of an official from office.

Impeachment Process

The impeachment process begins in the House of Representatives. Any member of the House can introduce an impeachment resolution, or the entire House can vote to initiate an investigation into whether there are grounds for impeachment. This investigation is typically conducted by the House Judiciary Committee. If the committee finds that there are grounds for impeachment, it will draft articles of impeachment, which are then voted on by the entire House.

If a majority of the House votes in favor of the articles of impeachment, the official is impeached. The process then moves to the Senate, which conducts a trial. The Chief Justice of the United States presides over the trial if the President is the one being impeached. A two-thirds majority vote is required in the Senate to convict and remove the official from office.

History

The impeachment process has been invoked three times against a sitting U.S. President: Andrew Johnson in 1868, Bill Clinton in 1998, and Donald Trump in 2019 and again in 2021. However, none of these impeachments resulted in the removal of the President from office.

See Also

• Impeachment
• United States Constitution
• United States House of Representatives
• United States Senate