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| | ipedia.com: United States Congress Article (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-23) |
 | | The powers originally delegated to the Congress by the original version of the Constitution were supplemented by the post-Civil War amendmentss to the Constitution (Amendments 13, 14, and 15, each of which authorizes the Congress to enforce its provisions by appropriate legislation), and by the 16th Amendment, which authorizes an income tax. |
 | | Each house of Congress has the power to introduce legislation on any subject, except for legislation dealing with gathering revenue (generally through taxes), which must originate in the House of Representatives (specifically the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means). |
 | | In the House, a petition to release a bill from a committee to the floor requires the signatures of 218 members; in the Senate, a majority of all members is required. |
| www.ipedia.com /united_states_congress_1.html (3038 words) |
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