Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/93

 LEGISLATIVE Ixxi There are usually two sessions of each Congress — the first or long session, which may hold until adjourned by resolution of the two Houses, and the short session, which is the closing one, and which expires on the 4th of March every second year, the new Congress beginning its term the same day. Neither house of Congress can adjourn for more than three days at any one time without the joint action of both. In case of a disagreement of the two houses as to adjournment, the President has the right to prorogue the Congress. The Vice-President of the United States, as before stated, is President of the Senate, but he has no vote unless there is a tie. The Senate has the sole power to try all impeachments, and it acts upon the nominations for appointment by the President ; it also acts upon treaties submitted to it by the administration. The Senate may be called in extra session for these purposes by the President without the Congress being called together. All bills for raising revenue must originate in the House of Representatives, but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments to such bills, as on all other laills. By Article I., Section 8, of the Constitution, the Congress has power — To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defence and general welfare of the United States ; but all duties, imposts, and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States ; To borrow money on the credit of the United States ; To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian tribes ; To establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throusjhout the United States ; To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures ; To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and cur- rent coin of the United States ; To establish post offices and post roads ; To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing; for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respect- ive writings and discoveries ; To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court ; To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offences against the law of nations ; To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water ; To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years ; To provide and maintain a navy ; To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces ;