Chapter 5, Lesson 2 Powers of Congress August 28, 2015

Your notes should… Tell you the main idea of text Give you an idea of chronology if that is important to the topic ALWAYS include the date and section of reading Be organized (outline)- can use roman numerals or not. Not include abbreviations unless you are POSITIVE you will remember them Make sense to you.

More… When you are done, review your notes to make sure that you understand them Sketch any important timelines, charts, etc. that you think are important to understanding the information Pay attention to repeated ideas and words

Table on page 166! Legislative powers Expressed/Enumerated powers- clearly stated in the Constitution. Ex. Print money. Listed in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution Implied powers- not specifically stated in the Con. but understood to be granted Elastic clause- clause 18 in Article 1, Section 8. Gives Congress the power to make all laws that are “necessary and proper” to carrying out their expressed powers. Table on page 166!

Lawmaking powers- many fall into three categories: Money- ex. Make bankruptcy laws & collect taxes for defense (expressed) Commerce- ex. Regulate foreign and interstate commerce (expressed) Military- ex. Declare war, regulate National Guard, punish acts committed on international waters (expressed) Others- naturalization, post offices, govern Washington D.C., all laws “necessary and proper”

Non-legislative powers- duties other than making laws Suggest amendments to the constitution Check other branches- ex. approve/reject presidential nominees. Impeach- accuse government officials of misconduct in office Andrew Johnson & Bill Clinton. Neither found guilty. Define words you don’t know or won’t remember Give examples to help you relate the ideas to reality

Limits on Congressional power Constitution also explains what Congress can’t do. Bill of Rights- Congress can’t pass a law restricting freedom of speech. Article 1, Section 9 explains other limits. Can’t pass laws favoring one state over another Can’t block writ of habeas corpus- court order that requires police to bring a prisoner to court to explain why they are holding the person. Can’t bass bills of attainder- law that punishes a person accused of a crime without a trial. Can’t pass ex post facto laws- declares an act a crime after it’s committed. Can’t interfere with powers of states or other branches

From these notes you can answer all questions at the end of the section. That’s how it should be! How is the elastic clause related to Congress’s implied powers? Why do you think that the House rarely impeaches a top government official? How does preventing Congress from passing a bill of attainder help safeguard rights? What are three examples of expressed powers of Congress? What are two nonlegislative powers given to Congress?

El Fin