[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 5616-5617]
[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 Mr. PITTENGER:
       H.R. 4383.

[[Page 5617]]

       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the United States 
     Constitution
            By Ms. ESHOO:
       H.R. 4384.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       The U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8, the General 
     Welfare Clause and the Necessary and Proper clause, Article 
     1, Section 8, Clause 18.
            By Mr. BURGESS:
       H.R. 4385.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article One, Section Eight, Clause Three
       ``To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the 
     several States, and with the Indian Tribes.''
            By Mr. ELLISON:
       H.R. 4386.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to Article I, Section 8, Clauses 1 and 3.
            By Mr. GARRETT:
       H.R. 4387.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 (The Congress shall have 
     Power ``To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among 
     the several States and with the Indian Tribes'') and 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 this Constitution in the Government of the 
     United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof'').
            By Mr. GOSAR:
       H.R. 4388.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       This legislation is constitutionally appropriate pursuant 
     to Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 (the Commerce Clause) which 
     grants Congress the power to regulate Commerce with foreign 
     Nations, and among several states and with the Indian Tribes; 
     Article II, Section 2, Clause 2 (the Treaty Clause) which 
     gives the President the Power to make Treaties; Article IV, 
     Section 3, Clause 2 (the Property Clause) which gives 
     Congress the Power to make all Rules and Regulations 
     respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the 
     United States.
       The Supreme Court, in Worcester v. Georgia (1832), reasoned 
     that Indian Nations have always been considered as distinct, 
     independent political communities, as the undisputed 
     possessors of the soil, from time immemorial. Thus, 
     conducting a review of by Congress of the United States' 
     trust relationship with American Indian tribes is 
     constitutionally permissible.
           By Mr. BURGESS:
       H.R. 4389.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 4 of the Constitution of the 
     United States: To establish an uniform Rule of 
     Naturalization.
           By Mr. CARDENAS:
       H.R. 4390.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article 1, Section 1.
       All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a 
     Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a 
     Senate and House of Representatives.
           By Mr. CUMMINGS:
       H.R. 4391.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 3
           By Mr. FINCHER:
       H.R. 4392.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I Section 8
           By Mr. FORTENBERRY:
       H.R. 4393.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 of the United States 
     Constitution.
           By Mr. GRAYSON:
       H.R. 4394.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Clause 8 of the Constitution of the United 
     States.
           By Ms. KELLY of Illinois:
       H.R. 4395.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, section 8, clauses 3
           By Mr. LUETKEMEYER:
       H.R. 4396.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Pursuant to clause 7 of Rule XII of the Rules of the House 
     of Representatives, I submit the following statement 
     regarding the specific powers granted to Congress in in the 
     Constitution to enact the accompanying bill cited as the 
     ``Religious Liberty Protection Act of 2014.''
       The Constitutional authority on which this bill rests is 
     the power of Congress to ensure that Congress shall make no 
     law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting 
     the free exercise thereof as enumerated in the First 
     Amendment.
           By Mr. O'ROURKE:
       H.R. 4397.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       This bill is enacted pursuant to Article I, Section 8 of 
     the U.S. Constitution under the General Welfare Clause.

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