[url=http://mensnewsdaily.com/archive/newswire/nw03/talonnews/0603/newswire-tn-062603.htm]Enumerated Powers Act Seeks to Limit Role of Federal Government[/url]

WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) and five Republican co-sponsors are pushing a bill in Congress that would require every new law created to specify which part of the U.S. Constitution it derives its power from.

[red]The Enumerated Powers Act, or HR 384[/red], seeks a closer look at the issue of federalism, or the role of the national government in creating laws outside of its constitutional authority.

The Constitutional Authority clause of the Enumerated Powers Act states that [red]"each Act of Congress shall contain a concise and definite statement of the constitutional authority relied upon for the enactment of each portion of that Act."[/red]
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"Our Founding Fathers believed the grant of specific rather than legislative powers to the national government would be one of the central mechanisms for protecting our freedoms while allowing us to achieve the objectives best accomplished through a national government," said Rep. Shadegg. "One of the most important things Congress can do is to honor and abide by the principles embodied in the Constitution -- no more, no less."

The Enumerated Powers Act is designed to curtail the amount of legislation that is passed into law that has no constitutional basis. This bill will also force Congress to research their reasons for creating new laws.

The powers that are given to the federal government are spelled out in the U.S. Constitution, or enumerated. The specific responsibilities of the federal government are provided in that document. Any activity that is not explicitly listed in the U.S. Constitution for the federal government to perform is reserved for the states, as specified in the Tenth Amendment.

"Respecting the Tenth Amendment is the first way to ensure that the genius of the Constitution and its division of power between the national government, the states, and the people continues to guide our nation," remarked Rep. Shadegg.

Similar versions of this bill have died in committee [red]four times before[/red]. Currently, the bill is in the House Subcommittee on the Constitution.

[red]The five co-sponsors of the bill are Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL), Rep. George R. Nethercutt (R-WA), Rep. C.L. "Butch" Otter (R-ID), Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), and Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL).[/red]