1. Powers given to Congress

2. Promote the general welfare  Make laws  Regulate commerce  Collect taxes and borrow money  “Power of the purse”

3. Provide for the common defense  Maintain and raise an army  Congress has the sole power to declare war, NOT the President  Congress has only exercised this power 5 times  WWII, WWI, Spanish-American War, Mexican-American War, War of 1812  War powers act-limits President’s power to send troops into combat without approval from Congress  Debate of when congressional approval is needed is ongoing

4. Establish justice  Create federal courts below Supreme Court  Senate approval needed for appointed judges  House can impeach government officials, including President  Senate puts the impeached person on trial  Only 2 presidents have been impeached, neither convicted  Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton

5. Unlisted powers  Elastic clause: allows congress to make laws that are “necessary and proper”  Called elastic clause because it stretches congress’ power  Example: Coining money  Congress set up mint to design, create, and distribute money

6. Non-legislative powers  Conduct investigations  Gather information to make laws  Find out how executive branch is enforcing laws

7. Limits to Congress’ powers  President can veto laws, Supreme court can declare laws unconstitutional  Congress can’t take away right of Writ of Habeas Corpus except in times of invasion or civil war  Can’t pass bill of attainder  Can’t pass ex post facto laws

8. How Congress is organized  House of Representatives and Senate must have a leader  House: Speaker of the House  Senate: Vice President/President Pro Tempore  Before new Congress begins majority party selects congressional leaders

9. Speaker of the House  More powerful than President pro tempore  Decides order of business and who can speak  Appoints members of committees and refers bills to committees  2 nd in line for Presidency

10. Senate  Vice President presides over Senate  Can’t take part in debates  Can only vote if there is a tie  Often VP is busy, therefore President Pro Tempore usually acts as presiding officer

11. Floor leaders  Chief officers of majority and minority parties in each house  Next to Speaker of the House, they are the most powerful in Congress  Guide bills through Congress, work closely with committee leaders and party members  Whips-assistants to floor leaders  Tries to persuade party members on key issues, and be present during votes