What does the Delegation Doctrine allow Congress to do?

The Delegation Doctrine allows Congress to delegate authority to administrative agencies. This principle is derived from the necessary and proper clause of the Constitution, which grants Congress the power to create and empower agencies to carry out specific functions and regulatory tasks that Congress itself may not have the capacity to handle effectively on its own.

By delegating authority to these agencies, Congress can ensure that specialized knowledge and expertise are applied to complex regulatory issues. Agencies will then implement and enforce laws, often involving rulemaking, adjudication, and the power to enforce regulations, thus allowing for more efficient governance.

This doctrine does not permit Congress to alter state laws directly, as this would be an overreach of federal legislative power. Additionally, it does not allow for the unlimited expansion of congressional powers; such expansions must still adhere to constitutional limits and oversight. Overall, the Delegation Doctrine is a crucial aspect of how legislative authority operates within the U.S. government, enabling a functional division of labor between branches and levels of government.