[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 60 (Thursday, May 5, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H3109-H3110]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

           By Mr. GOSAR:
        H.R. 1743.
        Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       This bill addresses federal oversight and management of 
     federal land. Accordingly, pursuant to:
       Article I, Sec. 8, Clause 17, which provides that Congress 
     has the power and authority 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 
     the 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.
       (Emphasis added). Thus, the Constitution's Places Clause 
     confers the express and exclusive constitutional authority to 
     Congress to

[[Page H3110]]

     manage Federal Property, including federally owned property 
     used for any ``needful'' government purpose. The federal 
     government's duty to raise and maintain a military force 
     subsumes a duty to maintain and take care of its veterans 
     from such military forces. Thus, a veterans' center is a 
     ``needful building'' to fulfill a core constitutional duty, 
     and thus Congress has the exclusive authority to manage it 
     and give it a name. James v. Dravo Contracting Co., 302 U.S. 
     134, 143 (1937) (taking the ``view'' that the phrase ``other 
     needful buildings'' embraces ``whatever structures are found 
     to be necessary in the performance of the functions of the 
     federal government). For these reasons, the bill seeking to 
     name a veteran's center is constitutionally permissible.