United States Congress House Bill Members Committees Committee

Non User

Index: > A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Business

Home > United States Congress

First Prev [ 1 2 3 4 5 6 ] Next Last

2 Specific powers held by the Congress

The powers of the Congress are set forth in Article 1 (particularly Article 1, Section 8) of the United States Constitution. The powers originally delegated to the Congress by the original version of the Constitution were supplemented by the post- Civil War amendments to the Constitution (Amendments 13, 14, and 15, each of which authorizes the Congress to enforce its provisions by appropriate legislation), and by the 16th Amendment, which authorizes an income tax.

Other parts of the Constitution—particularly Article 1, Section 9, and the first ten amendments to the Constitution (popularly known as the Bill of Rights)—impose limitations on Congress's power.

Each house of Congress has the power to introduce legislation on any subject dealing with the powers of Congress, except for legislation dealing with gathering revenue (generally through taxes), which must originate in the House of Representatives (specifically the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means). The large states may thus appear to have more influence over the public purse than the small states. In practice, however, each house can vote against legislation passed by the other house. The Senate may disapprove a House revenue bill—or any bill, for that matter—or add amendments that change its nature. In that event, a conference committee made up of members from both houses must work out a compromise acceptable to both sides before the bill becomes the law of the land.

The broad powers of the whole Congress are spelled out in Article I of the Constitution:

To levy and collect taxes
To borrow money for the public treasury
To make rules and regulations governing commerce among the states and with foreign countries
To make uniform rules for the naturalization of foreign citizens
To coin money, state its value, and provide for the punishment of counterfeiters
To set the standards for weights and measures
To establish bankruptcy laws for the country as a whole
To establish post offices and post roads
To issue patents and copyrights
To set up a system of federal courts
To punish piracy
To declare war
To raise and support armies
To provide for a navy
To call out the militia to enforce federal laws, suppress lawlessness, or repel invasions
To make all laws for the seat of government (Washington, D.C.)
To make all laws necessary to enforce the Constitution

A few of these powers are now outdated, but they remain in effect. The Tenth Amendment sets definite limits on congressional authority, by providing that powers not delegated to the national government are reserved to the states or to the people.

In addition, the Constitution specifically forbids certain acts by Congress. It may not:

Suspend the writ of habeas corpus—a requirement that those accused of crimes be brought before a judge or court before being imprisoned —unless necessary in time of rebellion or invasion
Pass laws that condemn persons for crimes or unlawful acts without a trial ( attainder)
Pass any law that retroactively makes a specific act a crime
Levy direct taxes on citizens, except on the basis of a census already taken (This was overridden by the Sixteenth Amendment)

The impeachment trial of Bill Clinton in the Senate was presided over by Chief Justic William Rehnquist.

Tax exports from any one state
Give specially favorable treatment in commerce or taxation to the seaports of any state or to the vessels using them
Authorize any titles of nobility

The Congress also has sole jurisdiction over impeachment of federal officials. The House has the sole right to bring the charges of misconduct which would be considered at an impeachment trial , and the Senate has the sole power to try impeachment cases and to find officials guilty or not guilty. A guilty verdict requires a two-thirds majority and results in the removal of the federal official from public office.

The Senate has further oversight powers over the executive branch. For those, see United States Senate.

Non User

Home > United States Congress

2 Specific powers held by the Congress

Topics: United States Congress House Bill Members Committees Committee...