[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8805]
[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. FRELINGHUYSEN:
       H.R. 2685.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       The principal constitutional authority for this legislation 
     is clause 7 of section 9 of article I of the Constitution of 
     the United States (the appropriation power), which states: 
     ``No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in 
     Consequence of Appropriations made by Law . . . .'' In 
     addition, clause I of section 8 of article I of the 
     Constitution (the spending power) provides: ``The Congress 
     shall have the Power . . . . to pay the Debts and provide for 
     the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States . 
     . . .'' Together, these specific constitutional provisions 
     establish the congressional power of the purse, granting 
     Congress the authority to appropriate funds, to determine 
     their purpose, amount, and period of availability, and to set 
     forth terms and conditions governing their use.
           By Mr. QUIGLEY:
       H.R. 2686.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8
           By Mr. SWALWELL of California:
       H.R. 2687.
       Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant 
     to the following:
       Article I, Section 8, Clauses 1 and 18 of the United States 
     Constitution.

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