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Constitutional Law I Spring 2004Con Law I SoP II Mar. 25, 2004
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2 SoP Matrix CongressPresidentFederal Court Legislative Strict Formalism Flexible & Functional Strict in theory; loose in practice Executive ForbiddenAnything goes Rare Judicial ForbiddenGenerousPer Art. III
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3 Exercise of Legislative Power All 3 branches exercise some legis. Power When done by executive/judicial, must be incidental to primary functions When done by congress, must be according to form prescribed in constitution Chadha v. INS (1983) Who is acting Art. I branch (single house of congress) What function is it performing These are the questions to be asked in every SoP analysis
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4 Exercise of Legislative Power Chadha v. INS (1983) What function was INS performing? What function is Congress performing? judicial review? executive function? legislative function? Can never do this Can only do this But only if it satisfies Bicameralism & Presentment
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5 Structural Limits on Legis. Power Bicameralism Text Art. I, § 7, ¶ 2: “Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate...” Art. I, § 7, ¶ 3: “Every Order, Resolution, or Vote to which the Concurrence of the Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary...” Theory Framers feared legislative branch the most Division within branch helps avoid majority tyranny
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6 Structural Limits on Congress (cont.) Presentment Text Art. I, § 7, ¶ 2: “Every Bill... shall, before it becomes a Law, be presented to the President. If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections...” Art. I, § 7, ¶ 3: “Every Order... shall be presented to the President, and before the Same shall take Effect, shall be approved by him...” Theory Fear of legislative authority => executive as check
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7 Applying Youngstown to Congress? Black ? strict SoP B&P must be satisfied in every case where Congress legislates; i.e., where it alters rights/responsibilities Jackson ? structural SoP (Zone 1) B&P satisfied in initial bill (creating legislative veto); exec. & leg. branches are cooperating Frankfurter ? flexible SoP (gloss of life) admin agencies are indispensible to governing. Con- gress should be able to check its delegated power
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8 Standard of Review for Congress Black’s Strict Structural Limits B&P required for all cong’l actions of legislative character Excluding: Impeachment Advise & consent on appointments & treaties Why is it ok for executive branch to perform quasi-legislative functions (w/o procedural safeguards), but not ok for Congress to review? White: Leg. Veto is indispensible to modern gov’t It is a means of defense, not a sword to aggrandize Cong.
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9 Results no legislative veto joint resolution ok (because of presentment) Joint resolutions are functionally equivalent to bills Except joint resolution proposing const’l amendment concurrent resolution only for actions not having force of law (e.g., expressing sentiment or will of congress) where presentment not required in first place
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10 Oversight w/o Legis Veto Oversight Hearings into agency operations New legislation reduce agency discretion Budgetary constraints limit agency funds / threaten shut down Create private rights of action authorize individuals to seek judicial review impeded by S.Ct. decision in Lujan v. Defenders
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