[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 3]
[House]
[Page 3552]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

  Pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives, the following statements are submitted regarding the 
specific powers granted to Congress in the Constitution to enact the 
accompanying bill or joint resolution.

           By Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN:
       H.R. 4197.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, section 8 of the Constitution.
           By Mr. GOSAR:
       H.R. 4198.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       First, Congress has the power to regulate interstate 
     commerce pursuant to Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the 
     U.S. Constitution. This clause provides, in relevant part: 
     ``The Congress shall have Power To . . . regulate Commerce . 
     . . among the several states . . .'' Congress has the power 
     to regulate traffic and intercourse between the states. 
     Gibbons v. Ogden (1824). (``Commerce, undoubtedly, is 
     traffic, but it is something more; it is intercourse. It 
     describes the commercial intercourse between nations and 
     parts of nations, in all its branches, and is regulated by 
     prescribing rules for carrying on that intercourse . . .
       Second, Congress has the express authority to create rules 
     and regulations with regard to federal property pursuant to 
     Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2 of the U.S. Constitution. 
     This clause provides that ``Congress shall have the power to 
     . . . make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the 
     Territory or other Property belonging to the United States . 
     . .'' This grants Congress the power to act as an ordinary 
     property owner, including the power to regulate who may enter 
     and for what purposes.
           By Mr. RIGELL:
       H.R. 4199.
       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 common Defence and 
     general Welfare of the United States.''
           By Mr. SCHWEIKERT:
       H.R. 4200.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Art. 1, Sec.  8, Clause 3 of the Constitution: ``To 
     regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several 
     States,'' & Art. 1, Sec.  8, Clause 18: ``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.''
           By Mr. TURNER of Ohio:
       H.R. 4201.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Military Regulation: Article I, Section 8, Clause 14
       To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land 
     and naval Forces.
       Necessary and Proper Regulations to Effectuate Powers:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 18: The Congress shall have 
     Power To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper 
     for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all 
     other Powers vested by the Constitution in the Government of 
     the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

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