Congressional Activities
I. Day One: Expressed vs. Implied:
A. Groups
a2. Ben, Jairic, Grace, Jennifer
a3. Jaquan, Landry, Hannah, Megan
b2. Blake, Luis, Olivia, Dwight
b3. Sammy, Heather, Ashley, Grant, Katherine
c2. Allan, Jacob, Dilcia, Kalil, Josh
c3. Jayden, Sierra, Nahjla, Ryuta,
d2. Albert, Lacey, Mcaylin, Rita
d3. Brianna, Maddie, Sally, Bruce
B. Powers
a. To borrow Money on the credit of the United States; 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 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;
b. To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes; To constitute Tribunals
inferior to the supreme Court; To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections
and repel Invasions;
c. To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations; To raise and
support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
d. To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures; To declare
War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water; 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
C. Activities
a. Read Constitution: Section I. Article 8: Go over expressed powers; Split powers amongst groups of three: each group write
the laws in their own words and state why that power is given to the Federal Government and not the state. How does it
enable Congress to execute four functions of government?
b. Discuss necessary and proper clause: each group come with examples of implied powers that may be related to their
expressed powers. Answer how this clause may impact the federalism, four functions of government, and congress's
influence in your life.
c. Give each group a law related to one of their powers and ask them to: determine whether it is expressed or implied and
why (if implied, how is it connected to an expressed power and which one) and how it impacts an individual’s life. (Next
handout)
D. Laws
a2. H.R. 444: Require a PLAN Act
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr444/text
b2. S. 134: Violent Content Research Act of 2013; http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s134/text
c2. H.R. 1706: Mortgage Settlement Monitoring Act of 2013
;http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr1706/text
d2. H.R. 981: RARE Act of 2013
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr981/text