The Constitution sets up a bi-cameral body known as the U.S. Congress to raise and to spend national revenue and to draft laws. It is commonly said that Congress influences American policy by exercising the "power of the purse strings."

The broad powers of the whole Congress are spelled out in Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution, which not only outlines what Congress can do, but also specifically forbids Congress from certain acts. The 10th Amendment of the Constitution further limits the domain of the nation's lawmakers by stating that all powers not delegated to the national government are reserved to the states or the people.

For more detailed information about the U.S. Congress, please link to each chamber.

The U.S. Senate

The U.S. House of Representatives

For a more detailed look at the other branches of the federal government, see the links below.

The Executive Branch

The Judicial Branch