[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 4 (Tuesday, January 15, 2013)]
[House]
[Pages H171-H172]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

           By Mr. OLSON:
       H.R. 271.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18--The Congress shall have 
     power to . . . make all Laws

[[Page H172]]

     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. (Necessary and 
     Proper Regulations to Effectuate Powers)
       The Necessary and Proper Clause allows Congress to decide 
     whether, when, and how to legislate the powers of another 
     branch. This legislation would clarify that compliance with 
     an Emergency Order issued by an Executive Agency under the 
     Federal Power Act may not be considered a violation of any 
     Federal, State, or local environmental law, afforded under 
     the Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18.