Powers of

Congress Project

By: Jie Hua Yu

 My enumerated power: Article 1 section 8
clause 16

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;
 What this means

The control over the army is divided between congress and the state
governments. Congress pays for the militia and controls what they do, but
the states control who serves as the officers and how they are trained.
 Example of this power being used
During the 18th century (1700s), specifically the 1790’s, the constitution
gave congress the power to call forth a militia to repel any of those foreign
invaders. The government at the time expected the citizens to stop the
crimes themselves as the militia at the time wasn’t big enough to stop
every crime.
 Has Congress used this power well?

Calling forth the militia is a lot of power, and I think congress has used
this power fairly well. You can only call up so many people to protect
your state, so this power definitely has its limits. Calling more would
definitely overwhelm citizens and the criminals.