[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8668-8669]
[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. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania:
       H.R. 2645.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to thc following:
       Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution under the 
     General Welfare Clause.
            By Mr. MURPHY of Pennsylvania:
       H.R. 2646.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 1.
            By Mr. WESTERMAN:
       H.R. 2647.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article IV, section 3, clause 2
            By Mr. CARTWRIGHT:
       H.R. 2648.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       The constitutional authority on which this bill rests is 
     the power of Congress 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, as enumerated in Article 
     I, Section 8, Clause 18 of the United States Constitution.
            By Mr. REICHERT:
       H.R. 2649.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       ``The constitutional authority of Congress to enact this 
     legislation is provided by Article I, section 8 of the United 
     States Constitution, specifically clause 1 (relating to 
     providing for the general welfare of the United States) and 
     clause 18 (relating to the power to make all laws necessary 
     and proper for carrying out the powers vested in Congress), 
     and Article IV, section 3, clause 2 (relating to the power of 
     Congress to dispose of and make all needful rules and 
     regulations respecting the territory or other property 
     belonging to the United States).''
            By Mr. TOM PRICE of Georgia:
       H.R. 2650.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Constitent with the original understanding of the Commerce 
     Clause, the authority to enact this legislation is found 
     within Clause 3 of Section 8, Article 1 of the U.S. 
     Constitution. Consistent with Congress's power to tax, the 
     authority to enact this legislation is also found in Clause 1 
     of Section 8, Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution.
            By Ms. DeGETTE:
       H.R. 2651.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the United States 
     Constitution
            By Mr. PALMER:
       H.R. 2652.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       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 
     (Also known as the ``Necessary and Proper clause)''.
            By Mr. ROE of Tennessee:
       H.R. 2653.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1, with respect to the power 
     to ``lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts, and Excises,'' 
     and to provide for the ``general Welfare of the United 
     States.''
       Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution 
     gives Congress the power to ``regulate Commerce with foreign 
     Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian 
     Tribes.''
       Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18 of the U.S. Constitution, 
     which gives Congress the 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.''
       This legislation puts forth measures relating to the 
     treatment of existing commerce and the exchange of health 
     care products, services, and transactions, while retaining 
     the sovereignty and power of respective states as outlined in 
     Amendment X of the U.S. Constitution. The legislation also 
     makes amendments to the manner in which the United States 
     defines and enacts certain taxes, as implemented through the 
     power to collect taxes and provide for the general Welfare.
       Article 1, Section 8, Clause 18 of the U.S. Constitution 
     provides for those provisions which serve as a means to 
     secure the ends of Clauses 1 and 3 of Article 1, Section 8, 
     as cited above. Such provisions, include, but are not limited 
     to eligibility standards, reporting measures relating to the 
     practical implementation of tax provisions, and instructions 
     specifying the relationship among existing Departments and 
     programs.
       Nothing in this legislation shall be construed to restrict 
     due process of the law as defined in Section 1, Amendment XIV 
     of the U.S. Constitution.
       This legislation includes a provision to repeal Public Law 
     111-148 and title I and subtitle B of title II of Public Law 
     111-152, which exceeds the scope of power vested in Congress 
     by the U.S. Constitution.
            By Mr. NADLER:
       H.R. 2654.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Clauses 3 and 18 of section 8 of Article I of the 
     Constitution and section 5 of Amendment XIV to the 
     Constitution.
            By Mr. DELANEY:
       H.R. 2655.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 4, Clause 1
       ``The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for 
     Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each 
     State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any 
     time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the 
     Places of chusing Senators.''
            By Mr. POLIS:
       H.R. 2656.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution (relating to 
     the power to regulate interstate commerce).
           By Mr. REED:
       H.R. 2657.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article 1, Section 8 and Amendment XVI of the United States 
     Constitution
            By Mr. BARLETTA:
       H.R. 2658.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clauses 1 and 18
            By Mr. CRENSHAW:
       H.R. 2659.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution, 
     commonly referred to as the

[[Page 8669]]

     Commerce Clause. The Commerce Clause states that the Congress 
     shall have power to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, 
     and among the several States, and with the Indian tribes. 
     This bill changes U.S. trade
            By Ms. DeLAURO:
       H.R. 2660.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 and Article I, Section 8, 
     Clause 18 of the United States Constitution.
           By Mr. FORTENBERRY:
       H.R. 2661.
       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. FRANKS of Arizona:
       H.R. 2662.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article 1, Clause 8
            By Mr. GOSAR:
       H.R. 2663.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2. (The Property Clause.)
       The Property Clause gives Congress the power to dispose of 
     and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the 
     Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; 
     and states that nothing in the Constitution shall be so 
     construed as to Prejudice any claims of the United States, or 
     of any Particular State.
       Currently, the federal government possesses approximately 
     1.8 billion acres of land. The U.S. Constitution specifically 
     addresses the relationship of the federal government to land. 
     The Property Clause gives Congress plenary power and full-
     authority over federal property. The U.S. Supreme Court has 
     described Congress's power to legislate under this Clause as 
     ``without limitation.'' This Act falls squarely within the 
     express Constitutional power set forth in the Property 
     Clause.
            By Mr. HIGGINS:
       H.R. 2664.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 18
            By Mr. KILMER:
       H.R. 2665.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 (relating to providing for 
     the general welfare of the United States);
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 (relating to the power to 
     make all laws necessary and proper for carrying out the 
     powers vested in Congress); and
       Article IV, Section 3, Clause 2 (relating to the power of 
     Congress to dispose of and make all needful rules and 
     regulations respecting the territory or other property 
     belonging to the United States).
            By Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois:
       H.R. 2666.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution
            By Mr. LARSEN of Washington:
       H.R. 2667.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       As described in Article 1, Section 1 ``all legislative 
     powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress.''
            By Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico:
       H.R. 2668.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 18
            By Ms. MENG:
       H.R. 2669.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3
           By Mr. MOULTON:
       H.R. 2670.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the United States 
     Constitution permits the Congress to, ``regulate commerce 
     with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with 
     indian tribes''
            By Mr. MOULTON:
       H.R. 2671.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution.
            By Mr. MOULTON:
       H.R. 2672.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution.
            By Mr. MOULTON:
       H.R. 2673.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution.
            By Mr. MOULTON:
       H.R. 2674.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution.
            By Mr. MULLIN:
       H.R. 2675.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Clause 3 of Section 8 of Article 1 of the Constitution of 
     the United States
            By Mr. NEAL:
       H.R. 2676.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to Clause 1 of Section 8 of Article I and the 16th Amendment 
     to the U.S. Constitution.
            By Mr. SALMON:
       H.R. 2677.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 of the United States 
     Constitution: 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; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be 
     uniform throughout the United States;
            By Mr. SALMON:
       H.R. 2678.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 9, Clause 7--``No money shall be drawn 
     from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made 
     by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts 
     and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from 
     time to time.''
           By Mr. SENSENBRENNER:
       H.R. 2679.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article 1, Section 8, Clause 4
            By Ms. SPEIER:
       H.R. 2680.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       This bill is enacted pursuant to the power granted to 
     Congress under Article 1, Section 8 of the United States 
     Constitution.
           By Ms. TITUS:
       H.R. 2681.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       The bill is enacted pursuant to the power granted to 
     Congress under Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the United 
     States Constitution.
            By Mr. VISCLOSKY:
       H.R. 2682.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Clause 3 Section 8 of Article I of the Constitution
            By Mr. VISCLOSKY:
       H.R. 2683.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Clause 3 Section 8 of Article I of the Constitution
            By Mr. YOUNG of Alaska:
       H.R. 2684.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article 1, Section 8, Clause 3

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