Final answer:
The necessary and proper clause, or elastic clause, has allowed Congress to create laws and programs such as the IRS, public school financial support, the Federal Reserve, and the Civil Rights Act, which extend beyond the enumerated powers within the Constitution.
Step-by-step explanation:
The necessary and proper clause, also known as the elastic clause, has allowed Congress to enact federal laws and programs that reflect the expansion of its enumerated powers. Here are four examples of such laws and programs:
- The establishment of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to collect and assess federal income taxes, though the power to tax is enumerated, the Constitution does not specify how to collect taxes, thus the establishment of the IRS is by implied powers.
- Public school financial support, as maintaining an educated populace is seen as necessary for the welfare of the nation, though education is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution.
- The Federal Reserve Board, which regulates the money supply and interest rates, is an example of an implied power necessary to execute the enumerated power to coin money and regulate the value thereof.
- The Civil Rights Act, prohibiting discrimination in public accommodations, reflects Congress's power to regulate interstate commerce as businesses that discriminate can affect such commerce.
These examples illustrate how the necessary and proper clause has enabled Congress to address a variety of issues deemed essential for the country's governance, though not specifically listed within the Constitution.