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Magruders
American Government
C H A P T E R 11
Powers of Congress

2001 by Prentice Hall, Inc.

C H A P T E R 11

Powers of Congress
SECTION 1The Scope of Congressional Powers
SECTION 2
The Expressed Powers of Money and Commer
ce
SECTION 3Other Expressed Powers
SECTION 4The Implied Powers
SECTION 5The Nonlegislative Powers
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Chapter 11

SECTION 1

The Scope of Congressional Powers

What are the three types of congressional

power?

How does strict construction of the U.S.

Constitution on the subject of congressional

power compare to liberal construction?

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Chapter 11, Section 1

Congressional Power
The Constitution grants Congress a number of
specific powers in three different ways.
(1) The expressed powers are granted to Congress explicitly in
the Constitution.
(2) The implied powers are granted by reasonable deduction
from the expressed powers.
(3) The inherent powers are granted through the Constitutions
creation of a National Government for the United States.

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Chapter 11, Section 1

Strict Versus Liberal Construction

Strict Constructionists

Strict constructionists,
led by Thomas Jefferson,
argued that Congress
should only be able to
exercise (1) its expressed
powers and (2) those
implied powers absolutely
necessary to carry out
those expressed powers.

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Liberal Constructionists

Liberal
constructionists, led by
Alexander Hamilton,
favored a liberal
interpretation of the
Constitution, a broad
interpretation of the
powers given to
Congress.

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Chapter 11, Section 1

Section 1 Review
1. The Constitution grants all of the following powers to Congress EXCEPT
(a) the expressed powers.
(b) the inherent powers.
(c) the monarchical powers.
(d) the reserved powers.

2. Strict constructionists favored Congress exercising

(a) only the expressed powers and those implied powers necessary to carry out
the expressed powers.
(b) unlimited power.
(c) only the powers granted to it by State constitutions.
(d) powers granted to Congress through acts of the President.

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Chapter 11, Section 1

SECTION 2

The Expressed Powers of Money and Commerce

What powers does Congress have to tax?

How does Congress use its power to borrow
money?

How important is Congresss commerce power?

Why did the Framers give Congress the power
to issue currency?

How does the bankruptcy power work?

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Chapter 11, Section 2

The Power To Tax

The Constitution gives Congress the

power:
To lay and collect Taxes, Duties,
Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts
and provide for the common Defense
and general Welfare of the United
States.
Article I, Section 8, Clause 1
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Chapter 11, Section 2

Limits on the Taxing Power

A tax is a charge levied by government on persons or
property to meet public needs.
The Constitution places four limits on Congresss
power to tax:
(1) Congress may tax only for
public purposes, not for
private benefit.

(2) Congress may not tax

exports.

(3) Direct taxes must be

apportioned among the
States, according to their
populations.

(4) Indirect taxes must be

levied at a uniform rate in all
parts of the country.

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Chapter 11, Section 2

Federal Spending

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Chapter 11, Section 2

The Borrowing Power

Article I, Section 8, Clause 2 gives Congress the

power [t]o borrow Money on the credit of the
United States.

Deficit financing is the practice of spending more

money than received in revenue and borrowing to
make up the difference.

The public debt is all of the money borrowed by

the government over the years and not yet repaid,

plus the accumulated interest on that money.

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Chapter 11, Section 2

The Commerce Power

The commerce powerthe power of Congress to
regulate interstate and foreign tradeis granted in
the Commerce Clause of the Constitution.
The Constitution places four limits on Congresss use of the
commerce power:
(1) Congress cannot tax exports.
(2) Congress cannot favor the ports
of one State over those of any other
in the regulation of trade.
(3) Congress cannot require that
Vessels bound to, or from, one
State, be obliged to enter, clear or
pay Duties in another.

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(4) Congress could not interfere with

the slave trade (through 1808).

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Chapter 11, Section 2

The Currency and Bankruptcy Powers

The Bankruptcy power

The Currency Power

Article I, Section 8, Clause 5

gives Congress the power
[t]o coin Money [and]
regulate the value thereof.

Article I, Section 8, Clause 4

gives Congress the power
[t]o establishuniform Laws
on the subject of Bankruptcies
throughout the United States.

Legal tender is any kind of

money that a creditor must
by law accept in payment
for debts.

Bankruptcy is the legal

proceeding in which the
bankrupt persons assets are
distributed among those to
whom a debt is owed.

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Chapter 11, Section 2

Section 2 Review
1. Which of the following is a limit on Congresss power to tax?
(a) only being allowed to tax for private purposes
(b) not being allowed to tax imports
(c) apportioning all direct taxes equally among the States based on population
(d) only being allowed to tax businesses

2. The commerce power gives Congress the right to

(a) regulate interstate and foreign trade.
(b) establish proceedings for bankruptcies.
(c) practice deficit financing.
(d) create a national currency.

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Chapter 11, Section 2

SECTION 3

Other Expressed Powers

What are the key sources of Congresss foreign

relations powers?

How does the power-sharing agreement

between Congress and the President on the

issues of war and national defense work?

What other key powers can Congress exercise?

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Chapter 11, Section 3

Foreign Relations and War Powers

Congress has the inherent power to act on matters

affecting the security of the nation.

Congresss war powers are extensive and substantial,

including: the power to raise and support armies, to
provide and maintain a navy, and to organize, arm,
and discipline the military.

Congress also has the power to restrict the use of

American forces in combat in areas where a state of

war does not exist (War Powers Resolution of 1973).

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Chapter 11, Section 3

Other Expressed Powers

Naturalization
Naturalization is the process by which citizens of one country become
citizens of another.

The Postal Power

Article I, Section 8, Clause 7 says that Congress has the power [t]o
establish Post Offices and post Roads.
Copyrights and Patents
A copyright is the exclusive right of an author to reproduce, publish, and sell his or her creative work.
A patent grants a person the sole right to manufacture, use, or sell any new and useful art, machine,
manufacture, or composition of matter.

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Chapter 11, Section 3

More Expressed Powers

Weights and Measures
Congress has the power to fix the Standard of Weights and
Measures throughout the United States.
Judicial Powers
Congress may create all of the federal courts below the Supreme Court and structure the federal
judiciary.
Congress may also define federal crimes and set punishment for violators of federal law.

Power Over Territories and Other Areas

Congress has the power to acquire, manage, and dispose of
various federal areas.
One way of acquiring property is through eminent domain, the
inherent power to take private property for public use.
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Chapter 11, Section 3

Article I, Section 8

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Chapter 11, Section 3

Section 3 Review
1. The process by which a citizen of one country becomes a citizen
of another is known as
(a) acquisition.
(b) copyright law.
(c) eminent domain.
(d) naturalization.

2. All of the following are part of Congresss war powers EXCEPT

(a) the power to provide and maintain a navy.
(b) the power to raise and support armies.
(c) the power of eminent domain.
(d) the power to discipline the military.

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Chapter 11, Section 3

SECTION 4

The Implied Powers

How does the Necessary and Proper Clause

give Congress flexibility in lawmaking?

What key developments have occurred in the

battle over the implied powers of Congress?

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Chapter 11, Section 4

The Necessary and Proper Clause

The Necessary and Proper Clause gives to

Congress the power:

To make all Laws which shall be

necessary and proper for carrying into
Execution the foregoing Powers and all
other Powers vested by this Constitution
in the Government of the United States,
or in any Department or Officer thereof.
Article I, Section 8, Clause 18
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Chapter 11, Section 4

The Battle Over Implied Powers

The formation of the Bank of the United States

spawned controversy between strict and liberal

constructionists.

In McCulloch v. Maryland, 1819, the formation of the

Second Bank of the United States was challenged by

strict constructionists.

Chief Justice John Marshall ruled in favor of the

Second Bank, giving sweeping approval to the
concept of implied powers.

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Chapter 11, Section 4

The Implied Powers of Congress

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Chapter 11, Section 4

Section 4 Review
1. The basis for the implied powers of Congress is found in
(a) the Necessary and Proper Clause.
(b) the Implied Clause.
(c) the Articles of Confederation.
(d) the Supremacy Clause.

2. The Supreme Court upheld the idea of implied powers in its ruling in
(a) Marbury v. Madison, 1803.
(b) Dred Scott v. Sandford, 1857.
(c) McCulloch v. Maryland, 1819.
(d) Ex parte Milligan, 1866.

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Chapter 11, Section 4

SECTION 5

The Nonlegislative Powers

What is Congresss role in amending the

Constitution and in deciding elections?

What is Congresss impeachment power,

and how has it been used in the past?

What are Congresss executive powers?

What is Congresss investigatory power?
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Chapter 11, Section 5

Constitutional Amendments and Electoral

Duties
Constitutional Amendments
Article V gives Congress the power to propose amendments
by a two-thirds vote in each house.

Electoral Duties
In certain circumstances, the Constitution gives Congress
special electoral duties.
If no candidate for President receives a majority in the
electoral college, the House decides the election.
If no candidate for Vice President receives a majority in the
electoral college, the Senate decides the election.
Also, if the vice presidency is vacated, the President selects a
successor, who faces congressional approval by a majority
vote in both houses.
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Chapter 11, Section 5

Impeachment Power

The Constitution grants Congress the power of

removing the President, Vice President, or other civil

officers from their office through impeachment.

The House has the sole power to impeach, or bring

charges against the individual.

There is then a trial in the Senate. A two-thirds vote of

the senators present is needed for conviction.

The penalty for conviction is removal from office.

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Chapter 11, Section 5

Executive Powers
Treaties

Appointments

All major appointments made by

the President must be confirmed
by the Senate by majority vote.

Only 12 of 600 Cabinet

appointments to date have been
declined.

Senatorial courtesy is the

practice in which the Senate will
turn down an appointment if it is
opposed by a senator of the
Presidents party from the State
involved.

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The President makes treaties

by and with the Advice and
Consent of the Senate,...
provided two thirds of the
Senators present concur.

Presently, the President often

consults members of the
Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.

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Chapter 11, Section 5

Investigatory Power
Congress may choose to conduct
investigations through its standing committees
for several reasons:
(1) to gather information useful to Congress in the making
of some legislation;
(2) to oversee the
(3) to focus public attention
operations of various
on a particular subject;
executive branch agencies;
(4) to expose the
(5) to promote the particular
questionable activities of
interests of some members
public officials or private
of Congress.
persons;

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Chapter 11, Section 5

Section 5 Review
1. All of the following are nonlegislative powers of Congress EXCEPT
(a) selecting the President if no candidate receives a majority in the electoral college.
(b) nominating Cabinet positions and Supreme Court justices.
(c) approving executive branch appointments.
(d) proposing amendments to the Constitution.

2. Which of the following series of events is correct for the impeachment

of a government official?

(a) The Supreme Court holds hearings, the House votes to impeach, a trial is held in the
Senate.
(b) The Senate holds hearings, the Senate votes to impeach, a trial is held in the House.
(c) The House holds hearings, the House votes to impeach, a trial is held in the Senate.
(d) none of the above.

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Chapter 11, Section 5