Powers of the House and Senate

Each house of Congress has the power to introduce legislation on any subject except raising revenue, which must originate in the House of Representatives. The large states may thus appear to have more influ­ence over the public purse than the small states. In practice, however, each house can vote against legisla­tion passed by the other house. The Senate may disapprove a House rev­enue bill—or any bill, for that mat­ter—or add amendments that change its nature. In that event, a conference committee made up of members from both houses must work out a compromise acceptable to both sides before the bill becomes law.

The Senate also has certain powers especially reserved to that body, in­cluding the authority to confirm presidential appointments of high officials and ambassadors of the fed­eral government, as well as authority to ratify all treaties by a two-thirds vote. In either instance, a negative vote in the Senate nullifies executive action.

In the case of impeachment of feder­al officials, the House has the sole right to bring charges of misconduct that can lead to an impeachment trial. The Senate has the sole power to try impeachment cases and to find officials guilty or not guilty. A find­ing of guilt results in the removal of the federal official from public office.

The broad powers of the whole Congress are spelled out in Article I of the Constitution:

■To levy and collect taxes;

■To borrow money for the public Treasury;

■To make rules and regulations governing commerce among the states and with foreign countries;

■To make uniform rules for the naturalization of foreign citizens;

■To coin money, state its value, and provide for the punishment of counterfeiters;

■To set the standards for weights and measures;

■To establish bankruptcy laws for the country as a whole;

■To establish post offices and post roads;

■To issue patents and copyrights;

■To set up a system of federal courts;

■To punish piracy;

■To declare war;

■To raise and support armies;

■To provide for a navy;

■To call out the militia to enforce federal laws, suppress lawlessness, or repel invasions;

■To make all laws for the seat of government (Washington, D.C.);

■To make all laws necessary to enforce the Constitution.

A few of these powers are now out­dated, but they remain in effect. The Tenth Amendment sets definite limits on congressional authority, by providing that powers not delegated to the national government are reserved to the states or to the peo­ple. In addition, the Constitution specifically forbids certain acts by Congress.

It may not:

■Suspend the writ of habeas corpus - a requirement that those accused of crimes be brought before a judge or court before being imprisoned—unless necessary in time of rebellion or invasion;

■Pass laws that condemn persons for crimes or unlawful acts with­out a trial,

■Pass any law that retroactively makes a specific act a crime;

■Levy direct taxes on citizens, except on the basis of a census already taken;

■Tax exports from any one state;

■Give specially favorable treat­ment in commerce or taxation to the seaports of any state or to the vessels using them;

■Authorize any titles of nobility.