TheUSAPresidents.com

Every Presidential Election Every American President About the Executive Branch Presidential Events All Political Parties America's Founding Documents

Section 8 of Article 1 of the United States Constitution

Original text

Clause I

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 II

To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

Clause III

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

Clause IV

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

Clause V

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

Clause VI

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

Clause VII

To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

Clause VIII

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 IX

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

Clause X

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

Clause XI

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

Clause XII

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

Clause XIII

To provide and maintain a Navy;

Clause XIV

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

Clause XV

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

Clause XVI

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 XVII

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 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 XVIII

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.

Summary

Article 1, Section 8 is the largest section in the Constitution. However, it serves a very important purpose. This section dives into specifics as to what the state and federal governments can and cannot do.

 Back to Constitution 

TheUSAPresidents.com

About Us Legal Political policy Reliability

Information on this site should not be plagiarized. This site is intended for hobby purposes, not commercial. Visit here for more information.