,,iia  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session 
,s4 ,j4 ,,res4 #af  ,,in ,,the ,,senate 
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,march    
#bh1 #bjai,mr4 ,merkley introduced the  
following joint resolution2 which was   
read twice and referred to the          
,committee on the ,judiciary  ,,joint   
,,resolution  ,proposing an amendment to
 the ,constitution of the ,united       
,states to abolish the electoral college
 and to provide for the direct election 
of the ,president and ,vice ,president  
of the ,united ,states4  ,that the      
following article is proposed as an     
amendment to the ,constitution of the   
,united ,states1 which shall be valid to
 all intents and purposes as part of the
 ,constitution when ratified by the     
legislatures of three-fourths of the    
several ,states3   --  #a4 ,the         
,president and ,vice ,president shall be
 jointly elected by the direct popular  
vote of the people of the several       
,states and the ,district constituting  
the seat of ,government of the ,united  

,states who are over the age of #ah4    
#b4 ,congress shall determine the time1 
place1 and manner of holding the        
election1 and the manner in which the   
results of the election shall be        
ascertained and declared1 and shall     
establish one day throughout the ,united
 ,states by which any period of voting  
shall be complete and during which any  
eligible voter may cast a vote4  #c4    
,congress shall have the power to       
enforce this article by appropriate     
legislation4  4