Congressional Research Services

Impeachment and Removal Congressional Research Services

"... (impeachment is)... the most formidable weapon for the purposes of dominant faction that ever was contrived. It would be the most effectual one for getting rid of any man whom they consider as dangerous to their views, and I do not know that we could count on one-third in an emergency." --Thomas Jefferson, The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, 1798

The term impeachment has been used frequently since Donald Trump became president in 2017, but what is impeachment actually? Impeachment and Removal, Including the House and Senate Rules on Impeachment is a collection of the following texts:

- Impeachment and Removal (2015), by the Congressional Research Service, is the standard guide to impeachment.

- Jefferson's Manual, section 53 (1801), by Thomas Jefferson, explains how impeachment is set in motion.

- Impeachment from House Practice--A Guide to Rules, Precedents, and Procedures of the House (2017), by the House Parliamentarian, explains the House procedures during impeachment.

- Rules of Procedure and Practice in the Senate When Sitting on Impeachment Trials (2014), by the Senate Rules Committee, explains the Senate procedures during the impeachment trial.

Students of US government, journalists, and anyone interested in understanding impeachment, will find this vital background reading.