L.+Powers,+Duties+&+Responsibilities

=What Does It Mean By: "Powers, Duties, and Responsibilities"? = The Legislative branch as a whole is the branch in charge of creating and regulating laws. The specific powers, duties, and responsibilities are outlined specifically in Article I of the Constitution. For easy readability we split up those powers into categories of which the powers have to deal with, and then explained further in a few sentences for simple understanding. = = = For the People = 


 * //"Provide for the common defense and general Welfare of the United States" //**
 * It is Congress's responsibility to provide for the common defense. This includes raising an army and the Navy and making rules for those armed forces in order to protect all American citizens.


 * //"To establish a uniform Rule of //** [|Naturalization] , **// and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States" //**
 *  It is the duty of the legislative branch to create a law defining how citizens from other countries become an American, and create uniform laws on Bankruptcies for when they occur within the United States.


 * //"To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States" //**
 * The legislative branch is responsible for dealing with punishing those who use fake money.


 * //"To establish Post Offices and post Roads" //**
 * The legislative branch have the duty of creating post offices and ensuring that roads are built.


 * //"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" //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 16.9px; line-height: 25.35px;">It is the responsibility of the legislative branch to promote progression in science and art by creating and enforcing copyright.


 * //<span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">“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” //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">The legislative branch must complete all the duties in D.C. A place not separate from the United States in order to protect from state-wise bias.

=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;"> Treasury = =<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> = = =
 * //<span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">"Power to collect Taxes" //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Congress collects taxes and other forms of revenue


 * <span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">//"To borrow Money on the credit of the United States"// **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">It is the responsibility of the legislative branch to borrow money from the United States with promises that debts will be paid off later.


 * //<span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">"Power To lay Duties, [|Imposts] and [|Excises] (but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States)" //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">The legislative branch shall set taxes and ensure that it is uniform throughout the United States.


 * //<span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">"To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures" //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">It is the duty of the legislative branch to ensure the making and the value of the U.S. currency. They also provide an accurate and uniform conversion from foreign currency to American currency, and vice versa.

=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;"> Military = <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">
 * //<span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">"To declare War, grant [|Letters of Marque and Reprisal], and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water" //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">The legislative, in times of need, must be the branch to declare war. They must also approve warrants or commissions which are given to somebody who would like to do something that, in another situation, would be piracy. The legislative branch must also decide on the rules for capturing enemies on U.S. Land and on U.S. Waters.


 * //<span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">"To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years" //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">The legislative branch must raise and support an army, but can not take money from the government to support a standing army for more than two years. (**To understand this section**: [//You must understand that the constitution, like any document, is open to all forms of interpretation. From research, there seems to be two different standpoints. I will elaborate on both.//] In this time, America had a lot of enemies and no real army to protect its citizens. The founding fathers knew this, and used experiences from the Revolutionary War to make this duty and its regulations. A standing army is an army of men who stay together even during peacetime. After the Revolutionary War, a standing army was extremely dangerous to life and liberty. In a time of war, it seemed nearly flawless and very helpful. But in a time of peace, a standing army was hurtful and dangerous, it also posed a threat of tyranny. **1.** What this duty states is that the legislative branch has the power to raise a standing army, but can not borrow money from the government to keep the standing army for more than two years in order to keep from an abuse of power. **2.** What this duty states is that the legislative branch has the power to raise a standing army, maintain it, but must review funds every two years in order to keep from spending too much.)


 * //<span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">"To provide and maintain a Navy" //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">The legislative branch has the responsibility of creating and maintaining a Navy.


 * //<span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">"To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces" //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">The legislative branch must make rules (laws) for the government’s regulation of land and laws for the naval forces.


 * //<span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">"To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions" //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">The legislative branch is allowed to issue a draft in order to keep the Union. They must also stop uprisings and fight invasions.


 * //<span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">"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" //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">The legislative branch must organize, arm, and discipline the military. The army must be employed by the United States. The military must have an appointment of officers and authority figures to train the military according to the needs in which Congress states.

=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;"> In Regards to Other Branches = =<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> =
 * //<span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">"To constitute [|Tribunals] inferior to the supreme Court" //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">It is the duty of the legislative branch to create the lower courts that are used for the purpose of not always involving the supreme court.


 * //<span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">"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." //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">The legislative are to be the branch that makes all the laws. Each law will be necessary and proper(fair) when it comes time to execute existing powers.

=<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;"> Foreign affairs = <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">


 * //<span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">"To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes" //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">The legislative branch has the power to create the laws that decide how citizens can have relations with other nations, among each other, and also the relationship between Americans and the Native Americans living in America.


 * //<span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">"To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations" //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">The legislative branch has the responsibility to define the laws of piracy, decide the punishment of [|piracy] (1st definition) on the ocean and its offenses against the [|Law of Nations].

_ =<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 150%;">Sources: = <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">"Legislative Branch of Government." Http://study.com. Study.com, 2015. Web. 20 Oct. 2015. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">Beach, Justin. "What Are the Primary Responsibilities of the Legislative Branch?" EHow. Demand Media, 2015. Web. 20 Oct. 2015. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; line-height: 1.5;">"Separation of Powers." Ncsl.org. National Conference of State Legislatures, 2015. Web. 20 Oct. 2015. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; line-height: 1.5;">Armstrong, Marcia H. "Article 1, Sec. 8, Clause 17 Constitution of US."Article 1, Sec. 8, Clause 17 Constitution of US. Marcia H. Armstrong., <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; line-height: 1.5;"> 1998. Web. 20 Oct. 2015. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%; line-height: 1.5;">"Amendment I Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition." National Constitution Center. N.p., 2015. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.
 * //<span style="color: #c60bf5; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">"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;” //**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 130%;">The legislative branch has the power to exercise their authority over all of the United States and it's territories but must have permission from the State legislature to erect forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other necessary buildings.