U.S. Constitution

Article I
Section 8

U.S. Constitution- Legislative Department

Article I. The Congress

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Section 8. Powers of Congress

Clause 1. Taxes, Common Defense, General Welfare

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

Clause 2. Power to Borrow Money

To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

Clause 3. Power to Regulate Commerce

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

Clause 4. Naturalization and Bankruptcy

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

Clauses 5. Coinage of Money

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

Clauses 6. Punishment for Counterfeiting

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

Clause 7. Establishment of Post Office

To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

Clause 8. Copyrights and Patents

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;

Clause 9. Creation of Lower Courts

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

Clause 10. Maritime Crimes and Offenses Against the Law of Nations

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;

Clause 11. Declarations of War

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

Clause 12. Raising Armies

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

Clause 13. The Navy

To provide and maintain a Navy;

Clause 14. Rules and Regulations for Army and Navy

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

Clause 15. The Militia

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

Clause 16. Regulating The Militia

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;

Clause 17. District of Columbia; Federal Property

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

Clause 18. All Laws Necessary and Proper Clause

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

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