5.3: The Powers of Congress
Congressional Powers
Limits on Powers
Vocabulary
implied powers
 elastic clause
 impeach
 treason
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Congressional Powers
Delegated Powers
 Implied Powers
 Special Powers
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Delegated Powers
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Financing Government
Collect taxes
 Borrow money
 Print and coin money
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Regulating and Encouraging American
Trade and Industry

Protect consumer, business, and environment

Defending the Country
Declare war
 Maintain armed forces
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Creating Lower Courts
Pass laws
 Uphold the laws
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Providing for Growth

Regulate immigration and naturalization
Implied Powers

Powers not specifically granted to
Congress by the US Constitution
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Necessary and proper
Elastic clause- name given to the
necessary and proper clause because of
its flexibility
Impeachment Power
To impeach is to accuse an officeholder of
misconduct
 Treason is an act that betrays or
endangers one’s country

If a majority of the House votes in favor,
the official is impeached
 Then, the trial is held in the Senate


2/3 vote of Senate dismisses official
Andrew Johnson (1868) and Bill Clinton
(1998) were impeached
 Richard Nixon (1973) resigned
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Special Powers

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House
Bills to raise revenue
Impeach officials
Choose president if no
candidate gets enough
electoral votes
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Senate
Impeachment trials
Chooses V.P.
Approve treaties with
foreign nations (2/3 vote)
Approve high officialsSupreme Court justices
Limits on Power

Tenth Amendment reserves some powers
for the state government. States can:
regulate and conduct elections
 create and administer schools
 establish marriage laws

The Constitution Forbids Congress
From:
Passing ex post facto laws- laws that
apply to actions that occurred before the
laws were passed
 Taxing exports
 Withdrawing money without a law
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