The Constitution -- What the Federal Government MAY do

The Federal Government MAY:

• collect taxes, duties, and excises [Article I, Section 8]
• borrow money [ [Article I, Section 8]
• regulate commerce with foreign nations [Article I, Section 8]
• regulate commerce among the States [Article I, Section 8]
• regulate commerce with Indian tribes [Article I, Section 8]
• regulate naturalization [Article I, Section 8]
• regulate bankruptcies [Article I, Section 8]
• coin money and regulate its value [Article I, Section 8]
• reulate the exchange rate of foreign currencies [Article I, Section 8]
• establish standard weights and measures [Article I, Section 8]
• punish counterfeiting [Article I, Section 8]
• establish post offices and post roads [Article I, Section 8]
• protect patents and copyrights [with the goal of promoting progress in science and the useful arts] [Article I, Section 8]
• create lower Federal courts [Article I, Section 8]
• define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas [Article I, Section 8]
• define offenses against the Law of Nations [Article I, Section 8]
• declare war [Article I, Section 8]
• grant letters of marque and reprisal [authorize American citizens to seize the property of enemy nations] [Article I, Section 8]
• make rules concerning captures on land and water [Article I, Section 8]
• raise and support armies [subject to restrictions] [Article I, Section 8]
• provide and maintain a navy [Article I, Section 8]
• regulate the land and naval forces [Article I, Section 8]
• provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union and to suppress insurrections [Article I, Section 8]
• provide for calling forth the militia to repel invasions [Article I, Section 8]
• 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, and of prescribing the training discipline [subject to restrictions] [Article I, Section 8]
• govern the District of Columbia [Article I, Section 8]
• govern other Federal properties [E.g. Post Offices, Court Houses, and military installations] [subject to restrictions] [Article I, Section 8]
• grant repreives and pardons for offenses against the United States [Article II, Section 2]
• make treaties [Article II , Section 2]
• appoint ambassadors [Article II , Section 2]
• regulate territories belonging to the United States [Article IV, Section 3]
• collect income tax without apportionment on the basis of population [Ammendment 16]
• make other laws which are necessary and proper for executing the powers granted to the Federal government by the Constitution. [Article I, Section 8]

Last updated: December 31, 1997; Version: 1.2