[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 431 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 431

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives concerning the 
                  constitutional duty of the Congress.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 10, 1996

     Mr. Hayworth (for himself, Mr. Taylor of North Carolina, Mr. 
    Hostettler, Mr. Dornan, Mr. Stump, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Hoke, Mr. 
    Doolittle, Mr. Pombo, and Mr. Baker of Louisiana) submitted the 
   following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives concerning the 
                  constitutional duty of the Congress.

Whereas the United States Constitution remains the supreme law of the land;
Whereas the Constitution, despite the expansion of the Federal Government, 
        establishes a Federal Government of delegated, enumerated, and, 
        therefore, limited powers;
Whereas all other powers are reserved to the States or to the people; and
Whereas, accordingly, Congress may legitimately act in a given area only if it 
        has authority to do so under the Constitution and, in so acting, must 
        exercise its independent duty to interpret the Constitution: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Congress--
            (1) recognizes the principle that the United States 
        Constitution is the supreme law of the land;
            (2) recognizes that the Constitution establishes a Federal 
        Government of delegated, enumerated, and, therefore, limited 
        powers;
            (3) recognizes its duty to identify the constitutional 
        basis for its legislative acts and to exercise its independent 
        judgment as to constitutional meaning in areas where it has the 
        power to act; and
            (4) recognizes the paramount importance of identifying and 
        deliberating its constitutional authority as a condition 
        precedent to the consideration of bills and resolutions.
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