Expressed and Implied Powers of Congress
Name _______________________________________________________
Period ____
Expressed Powers
 Each of the following newspaper headlines involves an expressed power of Congress in
some way.
 Using the Constitution (Art I, Section 8), decide which expressed power of Congress
might be involved in the story.
1) “April 15th Nears: Americans Scramble To Meet Tax Deadline “
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
1) “National Debt Nears $15 Trillion: Members of Congress Seek Solution
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
2) “Nevada & New Mexico Involved In Heated Trade Dispute.”
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
3) “President Obama Seeks Congressional Approval To Invade Iran.”
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
4) “Senate Introduces Bill to End Saturday Postal Service and Cut Hours”
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
5) “New $20s and $10s to Contain Added Security Measures”
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
6) “Newly Created Court To Try Certain Individuals Captured in War On Terror”
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
7) “Congress Considers Reinstating Military Draft to Boost Number of Soldiers”
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
8) “Man Claims He Created the iPhone 2 Years Before Apple”
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
9) House Debates China Trade Bill; Passage Likely”
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
10)
“Supreme Court to Determine Constitutionality of Federal Health Care Bill”
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
Implied Powers:
 Each of the following laws or Congressional actions involves an implied power that
Congress has used.
 Read each and decide which expressed power of Congress might be most closely related
to these actions.
Which expressed power is combined with the Elastic Clause when Congress…
1. …decides how many entrance visas to grant that will allow immigrants from Mexico into
the United States?
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
2. …passes laws to ban discrimination against women and minorities in the workforce?
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
3. …creates the Air Force as a branch of the military in 1947?
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
4. …establishes a minimum wage or raises the minimum wage?
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
5. ...creates a national healthcare system and requires individuals to purchase health care
coverage?
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
6. ...drafts all 18 year old American citizens into a yearlong National Service or Military
Service program?
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
7. …passes a law that provides federal funds to build a national highway system?
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________
8. …takes over a failing automotive company in order to save the business and the jobs of
the people who work there.
Expressed Power(s): __________________________________________________