[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 74 (Thursday, May 23, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H2957]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

            By Mr. GOHMERT:
        H.R. 2161.
        Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1: ``The Congress shall have 
     power to lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, 
     to pay the Debts and provide for the . . . general Welfare of 
     the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall 
     be uniform throughout the United States''
       Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1 of the United States 
     Constitution provides spending authority for Congress to 
     issue debt and set the interest rates thereof to insure that 
     such debt will be paid, and under the ``general welfare'' 
     clause the authority to pass laws that provide loans to 
     students.