What is the Job of Congress?

A Synopsis

1-To borrow money on the credit of the United States;
2-To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states and with Indian tribes;
3-To establish a uniform rule of naturalization and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States;
4-To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;
5-To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the Unites States;
6-To establish post offices and post roads;
7-To promote the progress of science and useful arts by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries;
8-To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court;
9-To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations;
10-To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;
11-To raise and support armies but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years;
12-To provide and maintain a navy;
13-To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;
14-To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union suppress insurrections and repel invasions;
15-To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively the appointment of the officers and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
16-To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states and the acceptance of Congress become the seat of the government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the state in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful buildings.

National Defense and other:

The Constitution gives Congress the exclusive power to declare war, raise and maintain the armed forces and make rules for the military. Congress has the power to issue patents and copyrights, fix standards, weights and measures, and establish courts inferior to the Supreme Court. Also, to make all laws necessary to carry these out. Congress has the power to admit new states to the Union.

Oversee the Executive Branch:

A non-legislative function of Congress is the power to investigate and oversee the executive branch. This power is usually dedicated to special committees. The House of Representatives has the power of impeachment, while the Senate only can convict and remove a sitting president of judicial member.

The fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments gave Congress authority to enact legislation in order to enforce rights of African Americans, including voting rights, due process and equal protection under the law.

Committees:

Congress divides its legislative, oversight and internal administrative tasks among approximately 200 committees and subcommittees. Within assigned areas these functional sub-units gather information, compare and evaluate legislative alternatives, identify policy problems and propose solutions, select, determine and report measures for full chamber consideration, monitor executive branch performance and investigate allegations of wrongdoing. Members of Congress serve on various committees.

Constituent Services:

A major part of the job for a Congressman/woman and Senator consists of services to his or her constituency. Members receive thousands of letters, phone calls and e-mails with some expressing opinion on an issue or displeasure with a member's position or vote. Other constituents request help with problems or ask questions. Members of Congress want to leave a positive impression on the constituent rather than leave them disgruntled so they often go out of their way to assist the public and guide them through the government bureaucracy.

Privileges: