Power Of Congress Essay

Despite American author Mark Twain’s insistence that the members of Congress are idiots, the legislative body of the United States of America holds quite a bit of power. Although the powers of Congress, as granted to them in the Constitution of the United States, have remained the same, the importance placed on those powers has changed overtime, lessening for some, and rising for others.
At the time of the writing of the Constitution, the four most important powers granted to Congress were the authority to make laws, establish and enforce taxes, approve treaties, and to organize and raise a Militia. It was important for Congress to have the power to make laws in order to establish stability and structure to the new and delicate nation. Moreover, as a result of the weak legislative body under the Articles of the Confederation (which did not have the power to tax), this new bicameral

Congress was given the power to tax citizens. Tax revenue was vital for running the federal government and for paying debts. Treaties, which must be approved by the Senate, were vital at this point in America’s history, because, as a young nation, ties with other nations had to be made in order to ensure financial security through trading and wartime allies. The final important power, the power to raise and organize a militia, was a power that rose out of the Revolutionary War, and the need for a militia to overthrow a tyrannical government. The framers were afraid of this happening again, and so granted Congress the power to protect American democracy.
Today, however the most important powers Congress holds have shifted.

While the power to create laws is still just as vital then as it is now, the powers to regulate interstate commerce, borrow money, and declare war have also become important today. When Congress creates laws, they are enacting measures which they believe are in the best interest of the American people, and continue to maintain the stability of the United States. It is also important for Congress to regulate interstate commerce, as businesses have become much larger and powerful than in the pre-industrialized, agrarian America. The power to borrow money has become increasingly important for Congress overtime, as the federal government’s responsibility has expanded to include many programs, such as welfare programs. With this expansion has come more expenses, and in order to function, Congress must borrow money. The final important power, the power to declare war, is important for Congress as only they can do declare war. The use of force is a way for Congress to protect the American people and other

interests.
Many of the important powers which Congress holds have changed because the country has changed. The United States is much larger now than it was at its initial creation, and as a result, different problems have arisen. The size of the federal government has also grown. As the interests of the American people have changed, so too have the importance placed on certain powers of the Congress of the United States.