The Powers of Congress &
How A Bill Becomes A Law
December 11, 2015
Objective: To better understand the powers of the legislative branch
Article on Mandela
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What do you know about Mandela?
 What is Apartheid?
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Homilies: sermons
Bumptious: self-assertive, proud
Grandee-aristocrat
Pernicious-tending to cause death or serious
injury
Doggedly: stubbornly perservering
Obstinately: stubborn
Preternaturally: beyond the natural
Powers Granted to Congress
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Financing Government
 Collect
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taxes, borrow & print money
Regulating and Encouraging American
Trade and Industry
 Foreign & domestic trade
 Roads & Post Offices
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Defending the Country
 Declare war
 Maintain Army
& Navy
Powers Granted to Congress
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Create Laws
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Congress established
National Courts
Providing for Growth
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Regulate
immigration/naturalization
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Govern territories and
provide admission of
new states
Implied Powers
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Implied powers given to
congress that are powers
that are not specifically
stated in the constitution.
Elastic Clause
 Allows Congress to
stretch delegated
powers
Example
 National Military
Academies
 “necessary and
proper” to defend
U.S.
Power to Impeach
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Ability to impeach federal
officials
 Impeach = Formally
accuse
Charges drawn in House
Trial held in Senate
 Senators act as jury
2/3 of the senate must vote
guilty for the person to be
removed from office.
17 impeached
 7 Found Guilty (all judges)
Special Powers
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House of Representatives
 Start
Impeachment Process
 All bills for raising money start in House
 If no presidential candidate gets enough
electoral votes then House elects president
Special Powers
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Senate
 All
impeachment trials held in Senate
 If no vice-presidential candidate gets enough
electoral votes then Senate selects VP
 All treaties must be approved by 2/3 Senate
 Certain high officials appointed by President
must be approved by majority of Senate
 Supreme
Court Justices
Limits on Power
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Passing Ex Post Facto Laws
 Law
that applies to an action that occurred
before law was passed
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Passing Bill of Attainder
 Law
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that sentences person to prison w/o trial
Suspending the Writ of Habeas Corpus
 Requires
that an accused person be sent to
court
 Times
of rebellion or invasion
Limits on Power
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Taxing Exports
 Passing Laws that Violate the Bill of
Rights
 Favoring Trade of a State
 Granting Titles of Nobility
 Withdrawing Money without a Law
Limits on Power
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Supreme Court has
power to decide if
Congress has over
stepped powers
 Article I, Section 9
spells out these
specific limits
Why is the Elastic Clause
useful?
Bill on Capital Hill
How Does a Bill Become a
Law?
Where a bill begins…
Bill Proposed
Introduced
Committee
Subcommittee
Bill Reported
The House Floor
The Vote
Bill Goes through the Senate
Bill Sent to White House
Signed by President
Vetoed By the President
Veto Override