Final answer:
To invoke the necessary and proper clause, Congress must deem an implied power necessary and proper to carry out its constitutional duties. This 'elastic clause' has facilitated congressional powers, from the establishment of federal agencies to regulation of varied aspects of national interest.
Step-by-step explanation:
In order to invoke the necessary and proper clause, any implied power Congress claims for itself must be linked to the powers explicitly granted to it by the Constitution. These are not express powers detailed within the text, but are rather inferred powers that Congress deems necessary and proper to carry out its delegated duties.
This flexibility is what is often referred to as the 'elastic clause.' It has allowed Congress to undertake a wide range of actions such as establishing the Federal Reserve, regulating interstate commerce, setting a minimum wage, and creating the Internal Revenue Service.
The doctrine of implied powers comes from Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution, which has been a foundation for the expansion of federal authority over time. The clause famously came into play during the first years of the United States when Alexander Hamilton cited it in defense of the establishment of the Bank of the United States.