The Legislative Branch

Aware of the inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation, the Framers of the Constitution set out to create a national government powerful enough for a large and diverse nation. Broad powers were conferred on the legislative branch of government, which the Framers expected to be the most powerful of the three branches. But before examining these powers, let us address four preliminary questions: What principles underlie the interpretation of the scope of the national legislative power? What powers and privileges does the Constitution grant to Congress to facilitate its legislative activity? What nonlegislative powers does the Constitution confer on Congress? Given the growth of the federal bureaucracy, what constitutional means does Congress have for ensuring it continues to make basic policy decisions?