Table of Contents
- 1 Who is responsible for taxing citizens?
- 2 What does Congress do with taxes?
- 3 Who decides what taxes to pay?
- 4 Who would control the power to regulate commerce in the United States if this decision or a subsequent decision like it had not occurred explain?
- 5 What federal agency is responsible for enforcing the US federal tax laws?
- 6 What is the taxing and Spending Clause of the Constitution?
- 7 What was the purpose of the taxing power?
Who is responsible for taxing citizens?
The Congress
1 Taxing Power. Article I, Section 8, Clause 1: The Congress shall have 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; . . .
What branch controls taxation and spending?
The legislative branch is made up of the House and Senate, known collectively as the Congress. Among other powers, the legislative branch makes all laws, declares war, regulates interstate and foreign commerce and controls taxing and spending policies.
What does Congress do with taxes?
In the United States, Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution gives Congress the power to “lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States.
Does Congress regulate commerce?
The Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution provides that the Congress shall have the power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce. In addition, when Congress began to address national social problems, the Commerce Clause was often cited as the constitutional basis for such legislation.
Who decides what taxes to pay?
To determine your tax rate, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) uses a series of ranges that represent increasingly higher amounts of income. These are called tax brackets. For every dollar of income you earn that falls into each bracket, you owe a percentage of that dollar in taxes.
Can Congress tax and spend?
In the United States, Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution gives Congress the power to “lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States. This is also referred to as the “Taxing and Spending Clause.”
Who would control the power to regulate commerce in the United States if this decision or a subsequent decision like it had not occurred explain?
The Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution provides that the Congress shall have the power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce. The plain meaning of this language might indicate a limited power to regulate commercial trade between persons in one state and persons outside of that state.
Who created the tax system?
The earliest known tax was implemented in Mesopotamia over 4500 years ago, where people paid taxes throughout the year in the form of livestock (the preferred currency at the time). The ancient world also had estate taxes and taxes.
What federal agency is responsible for enforcing the US federal tax laws?
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) administers and enforces U.S. federal tax laws.
Who is responsible for the budget of the federal government?
Congress is responsible for creating the federal government’s annual budget. Congress must create and pass numerous funding bills each fiscal year to keep the federal government open. This infographic explains the process.
What is the taxing and Spending Clause of the Constitution?
The so-called “Taxing and Spending Clause” of the U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8, Clause 1, authorizes Congress to levy taxes. 1 However, the Constitution really only specifies two legitimate purposes for taxation: to pay the debts of the federal government and to provide for the common defense.
Who is the ultimate authority on government spending?
The constitutional provision making Congress the ultimate authority on government spending passed with far less debate. The framers were unanimous that Congress, as the representatives of the people, should be in control of public funds—not the President or executive branch agencies.
What was the purpose of the taxing power?
Typically, the power is used to raise revenues for the general support of government. But, Congress has employed the taxing power in uses other than solely for the raising of revenue, such as: regulatory taxation – taxing to regulate commerce; prohibitive taxation – taxing to discourage, suppress, or even exterminate commerce;