Chapter 9, section 3 Congressional Powers

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Chapter 9, section 3Congressional Powers

• Objectives
• Explain both expressed and implied powers of
  Congress
• Name and describe two non-legislative powers of
  Congress
• List four special powers of Congress

• Summarize the three basic limits to congressional
  power in the constitution

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Warm-up

• What powers are specifically given to Congress by
  the Constitution?

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Vocabulary

• Expressed powers
• impeach
• appropriations

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Expressed and Implied Powers

• Expressed powers - are those powers listed in
  Article I of the Constitution.
• Implied powers - those powers not stated
  explicitly in the Constitution.

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Expressed Powers

• The power to... collect taxes,
• borrow money,
• regulate foreign and interstate commerce,
• set up a postal system,

• The power tomaintain armed services,
• declare war,
• and to regulate immigration and naturalization.

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Nonlegislative Powers

• These powers enable government to operate more
  effectively and help to check powers of other
  branches of government.

• For example Congress has the power to propose
  amendments or changes to the Constitution,
  investigate legislation or activities of the
  executive branch, and to impeach.

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The Power to Impeach

• Impeach - one of Congresss most important
  nonlegislative powers to accuse government
  officials of wrongdoing, put them on trial, and
  if necessary, remove them from office.

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Special Powers of Congress

• The Constitution reserves special powers for each
  house of Congress the Senate and the House of
  Representatives.

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Special Powers of the House

• Impeachment proceedings.
• Choose president if no candidate wins a majority
  in the Electoral College.
• Introduce tax bills and appropriations or bills
  that involve money.

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Special Powers in the Senate

• Acting as the jury in an impeachment trial.
• Ratifying treaties with other countries.
• Approve or reject the Presidents appointments.

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Limits to Congressional Power

• Article I of the Constitution also forbids
  Congress from interfering with the legal rights
  of individuals.The Bill of Rights also denies
  Congress certain powers.
• The Supreme Court can declare a law
  unconstitutional.

• According to Article I of the Constitution,
  Congress may not
• favor one state over another,
• tax interstate commerce,
• or tax exports.
• Congress cannot pass laws without money to
  finance them.

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Close

• Which powers of Congress do you think have the
  greatest impact on peoples lives today? Explain
  in a well-constructed paragraph.