Powers of congress or discuss the role of congress in USA
1) Introduction
● The congress of the United States is a legislative body of the country and its function is to make law. The constitution of the United States made the congress more and more powerful. Congress consists of two chambers, Senate and House of Representatives in which all members have power of legislation .The House and Senate are equal partners in the legislative process. Both senators and representatives are chosen through direct election and people choose them directly in elections
2) Functions and powers of U.S congress
Following are the main functions and powers of U.S congress
I. Legislative powers
a. Law making
● The congress has power of law making regarding commerce and trade. As well as congress can amend or modify any kind of legislations
b. Regulation of monetary system
● The United States Congress has power to regulate the monetary system of the country.
And no one can interfere with in these powers congress
c. Formation of Armed forces
● The congress has power to control and organization of Armed forces of the United States. Congress totally overrule on the Armed forces and Armed forces are bound to obey order of Congress
II. Executive powers
a. Appointments
● Congress of United States has power of hiring high ranked officials as congress shares his power with the president of U.S
b. Creation of new departments
● Congress has power to create new departments in the country for the betterment of the states
c. Fixation of salaries and duties
● Congress fixes the salaries and duties of the offices as well as fixes the duties of the government department
d. Supervision of administrative work
● Congress supervise the administration work of the country and all departments are answerable to congress
e. Making of treaties
● The congress has power to make treaties with other countries.
III. Judicial powers
a. Composition of Supreme Court
● Congress makes law for the composition of the Supreme Court
b. Power of appellate
● Congress has power to cancel the decision of the Supreme Court. No one can challenge congress in this regard
c. Impeachment of president and others
● Congress can conduct proceedings of impeachment against the president, vice president and the speaker
d. Confirmation of presidential appointment of judges
● Congress has power to confirm the appointment of judges of supreme court made by the president
e. Creation of courts
● Congress can create new courts in the country with the need of the time
IV. Electoral powers
a. Counting of votes
● Congress meets after every four years and counts votes for president and vice president
b. Election of president and vice president
● If no candidate fails to gain the majority of votes of the elector. In this case congress has power to elect three candidates who have received highest votes count
V. Investigative powers
● Congress performs investigative functions through regular standing committee and by special committees set up for the purposes
VI. Financial powers
● Congress alone has power to grant money to the federal government. All bills of revenues are initiated in lower house
a. Collection of taxes
● Congress has power to levy and collect taxes ,duties and excises from government departments
VII. Emergency powers
● During the time of national crises congress has emergency powers. These powers are integral in emergency and therefore unlimited
VIII. Constituent
a. Amendment
● Congress can amend the constitution by having two third majority in each house or by calling a special convention
IX. Inherent powers
a. Admission of new states
● Congress has power to admit new state or can add more states in United states
b. Declaration of war
● Congress can declare war and has full power to use of Armed forces
c. Treaties
● Congress can make treaties with the foreign countries
d. Maintenance of Diplomatic relation
● Congress maintains diplomatic relations with other countries
3) Distinctive features of the congress
I. Absence of the leadership
● There is neither any leader nor any opposition in both house of the congress
II. Legislative initiative
● Legislative initiative is in the hands of the private members. Bill are usually moved by the private members
III. Parochialism
● In U.S.A neither a senator nor a representative would obey the party call if it will be against the wishes of his states
IV. Burden of work
● Congress deals with a number of businesses. It also deal with all sort of problems relating international and national level affair
V. Role of committees
● Committee plays a vital role within the legislation. All the bills are referred to the committee
VI. Pork barrel and log-rolling legislation
● Congress has to deals with such problems which are affecting specific interests of group and localities
VII. Position of upper house
● The upper house of the congress which is known as senate has dominating over the lower house which is known as House of Representatives
4) Conclusion
The legislative powers of the both houses are equal but the senate is more powerful than the House of Representatives. Congress of the United States is a bicameral system. Two members from every state are chosen by the people who sit in the senate and are called senators. The members of House of Representatives are selected according to their population that’s why there count is more and less according to their state population