# Twenty-first Amendment to the Constitution (repeal of Prohibition), as printed in H. Doc. 110-50

Canonical: https://mobfiles.org/items/govinfo-h-doc-110-50-twenty-first-amendment/

The text of the Twenty-first Amendment, which repealed the Eighteenth and barred importing liquor into a State in violation of its laws, with the House Document's note that it was declared ratified on December 5, 1933.

Section 1 of the Twenty-first Amendment reads: "The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed." Section 2 prohibits the transportation or importation into any State, Territory or possession of the United States of intoxicating liquors for delivery or use there in violation of its laws. Section 3 made the article inoperative unless ratified "by conventions in the several States" within seven years of its submission.

The note in H. Doc. 110-50 records that the amendment was proposed on February 20, 1933, ratified by conventions in the States, and declared ratified by 36 of the 48 States in the Secretary of State's proclamation of December 5, 1933.

ATF's history timeline records the enforcement change that followed: "The Bureau of Prohibition is reorganized into the Alcohol Tax Unit (ATU) and transferred back to the Treasury Department." ATF's article on the Alcohol Tax Unit is filed separately. The Constitution Annotated site was not used because it did not open during research.

## Sources

- U.S. Government Publishing Office (govinfo), The Constitution of the United States of America, As Amended (H. Doc. 110-50): https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CDOC-110hdoc50/pdf/CDOC-110hdoc50.pdf
- ATF, ATF History Timeline: https://www.atf.gov/our-history/atf-history-timeline