powers of congress

below you'll find a list of congressional powers from article i, section 8 of the US constitution. some have been subjects of public discussion recently—and some controversy.

the commerce clause has come up at confirmation hearings of both new supreme court justices. the war powers relate to claims i hear a lot lately that the president conducts war, not congress. (you'll see below that congress not only declares war, it also sets the rules of what the armed forces can do and what they can be ordered to do.)

tho i was mainly interested in those issues, i've chosen to post the entire article because i've noticed that more than a few americans believe defense to be the federal govt's only legitimate responsibility. that may've been true under the articles of confederation, but it changed when the constitution went into effect 217 years ago. some folks just haven't caught up yet, i guess. behind the curve. whatever.

i decided to post the material during yesterday's senate judiciary committee hearing on warrantless eavesdropping, when attorney general gonzo said something about rules concerning captures, and the senator questioning him—i think it was lindsey graham (r-sc)—interjected "that's about ships, not people."

when you get to the clause, you can judge for yourself how well-informed a $158,000/year senator can be and perhaps get some idea of the quality of representation his state gets, tho graham's better than many others.

• The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

• To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

• To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

• To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

• To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

• To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

• To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;

• To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

• To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

• To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;

• To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

• To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

• To provide and maintain a Navy;

• To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

• To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

• To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

• To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; And

• 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.