Final answer:
An amendment refers to the modification of the Constitution or a law, which may change the text or its effect. It can be informal, through interpretation, or formal, requiring a two-thirds Congressional vote to propose and a three-fourths state legislature majority to ratify.
Step-by-step explanation:
The modification of the Constitution or a law is known as an amendment. This can either alter the actual text of the Constitution or the effect that it has, even without changing the text itself. Informal amendments don't change the written word but change the interpretation and application of the Constitution.
Congress has the power to create legislation that can expand or further define the Constitution's brief provisions, thereby informally amending it. For example, through legislation, Congress can expand voting rights or establish a minimum wage, which clarifies or extends constitutional principles.
To formally propose an amendment to the Constitution, a two-thirds vote in both chambers of Congress is required or a convention called by two-thirds of the states. Ratification then requires approval by three-fourths of state legislatures. Amending the Constitution is a rigorous, two-step process that emphasizes the critical nature and strength of the foundational governmental document.
It is important to differentiate between constitutions, which provide the general framework and foundation of governance, and laws that address more specific issues and can be more easily modified. Amending the Constitution is intended to be durable and requires a supermajority, reflecting its long-term foundational status, as opposed to the simpler majority needed for changing laws.