1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov November 28, 2016The Powers of Congress: A Brief OverviewHistorical Background The modern influence that Congress has in the federal tripartite system of government can be explained by understanding the historical context in which the Framers of the Constitution enact
2、ed their vision for the first branch of government. The creation of a Congress in Article I of the Constitution reflects the collective preferences and compromises of those who drafted the document in 1787. Their views were undergirded by the political philosophies of the era and were chiefly shaped
3、 by two historical experiences: (1) colonial rule under the tyranny of the British Crown, and (2) the chaos that resulted in the wake of the American Revolution due to the weak central government that was established under the Articles of Confederation. In this vein, the Framers designed the Constit
4、ution, and more specifically Congress, to avoid not only the overreaches of monarchy, but also the weaknesses of the Articles. Because of the Framers fear of an overly powerful and oppressive central government, the Constitution vests Congress with only the powers specified in the document, reservin