Constitution

Argentina 1853 Constitution (reinstated 1983, reviewed 1994)

Table of Contents

CHAPTER V. ON THE ENACTMENT AND APPROVAL OF LAWS

Article 77

Laws may originate in either Chamber of Congress, through bills proposed by their members or by the Executive Power, except for the exceptions that this Constitution establishes.

Bills that modify the electoral system and the system of political parties shall be approved by an absolute majority of the totality of the members of the Chambers.

Article 78

When a bill is passed by the Chamber in which it originated, it is forwarded for debate to the other Chamber. If approved by both, it is presented to the Executive of the Nation for his review, and if it also obtains his approval, he promulgates it as law.

Article 79

Each Chamber, after it approves a bill of law generally, may delegate to its committees the approval of specific parts of a bill, with the vote of an absolute majority of the totality of its members. The Chamber may also, with an equal number of votes, make the delegation inoperative and resume the regular procedures. The approval by the committee shall require the vote of the absolute majority of the totality of the members. Once the bill is approved by the committee, the regular procedures shall be followed.

Article 80

Any bill that is not returned at the end of ten working days is considered approved by the Executive Power. Bills that are partially rejected may not be approved as to their remaining parts. Nevertheless, those parts that are not rejected may be promulgated if they have normative autonomy and their partial approval does not alter the spirit or the unity of the bill as passed by Congress. In such a case, the procedures established for decrees of necessity and urgency shall be applied.

Article 81

No bill of law that has been wholly rejected by one of the Chambers may be reintroduced during that year’s sessions. Neither Chamber may entirely reject a bill which originated in it and which afterwards was added onto or amended by the reviewing Chamber. If a bill is the subject of additions or corrections by the reviewing Chamber, the result of the vote must be indicated so as to establish if additions or corrections were made by absolute majority of those present or by two-thirds of those present. The originating Chamber may, by absolute majority of those present, approve the bill with the introduced additions or corrections, or insist on the original language, unless the additions or corrections were made by the reviewing Chamber by two-thirds of those present. In this latter case, the bill shall be forwarded to the Executive Power with the additions or corrections made by the reviewing Chamber, except that the originating Chamber may insist in its original language by a vote of two-thirds of those present. The originating Chamber may not introduce new additions or corrections over those made by the reviewing Chamber.

Article 82

The will of each Chamber must be manifested expressly; tacit or implied approval is excluded in all cases.

Article 83

A bill wholly or partially rejected by the Executive Power shall be returned with its objections to the originating Chamber; the latter shall debate it anew, and if it ratifies it by a majority of two-thirds of the votes, the bill is sent again to the reviewing Chamber. If both Chambers pass it by a two-thirds majority, the bill becomes law and goes to the Executive Power for its promulgation. The voting in both Chambers shall be in this case by roll call, by yeas or by nays, and both the names and opinions of those voting as well as the objections of the Executive Power shall be immediately published in the press. If the Chambers disagree [with each other] regarding the [Executive’s] objections, the bill may not be reintroduced in the sessions of that year.

Article 84

In the enactment of laws the following wording shall be used: “The Senate and Chamber of Deputies of the Argentine Nation, assembled in Congress, decree or sanction with the force of law.”