Other Expressed Powers

Foreign relations powers

Congress obtains these powers from expressed powers and the fact that the US is a sovereign state.

Expressed powers

Powers explicitly stated in the Constitution, including war powers and the power to regulate foreign commerce.

Sovereign state

A political entity represented by one centralized government that has sovereignty over a geographic area.

Postal Power

The power of Congress to establish Post Offices and post Roads.

Ben Franklin

He created the first Post Office in the United States.

Federal Crime

A crime against the mail is classified as this.

State taxation of post offices

States cannot impose this on post offices.

Copyright

The exclusive right of an author to reproduce, publish, and sell his or her creative work.

Library of Congress

Copyrights are registered here and are valid for the life of the author plus 70 years for works created after 1978.

Public domain

The state of being in which creative works can be used by anyone, occurring once copyrights expire.

Copyright violations

Legal breaches regarding unauthorized use of copyrighted material, handled in Federal Courts.

Patent

Grants a person the sole right to manufacture or sell any product they invent.

Patent duration

Patents are valid for 20 years.

Eminent Domain

The inherent power to take private property for public use, established in the 5th Amendment.

Judicial powers

The authority of Congress to create federal courts below the Supreme Court.

Define federal crimes

Congress has the power to define these and set punishments for them.

Counterfeiting

Making unauthorized copies of money or goods, defined as a federal crime.

Piracy

Robbery or criminal violence at sea, also classified as a federal crime.

Felonies on the high seas

Serious crimes committed on the ocean, recognized as federal offenses.

International law offenses

Crimes recognized by international agreements or treaties.

Treason

A crime that involves betraying one's country, also defined as a federal crime.

First Post Office

Established by Ben Franklin, marking the beginning of organized postal services in the US.

Copyright lifespan for pre-1978 works

The duration is the life of the author plus 95 years.

Rights transfer after copyright expiry

After the copyright term ends, rights are transferred to the public domain.

Congressional creation of courts

Congress possesses the authority to establish all federal courts that are lower than the Supreme Court.

Setting punishment

A power of Congress that allows it to establish consequences for defined federal crimes.

Public property taking

The process by which the government can take private property for public use through eminent domain.