What powers are referred to as enumerated powers in Congress?

Enumerated powers are those explicitly granted to Congress by the Constitution. This means that they are clearly outlined within the text of the Constitution, particularly in Article I, Section 8. These powers give Congress the authority to legislate in specific areas such as taxation, regulation of commerce, and national defense, among others. This clarity in defining what Congress can do is essential for maintaining a structured federal government and ensuring that legislative authority is well-defined, which helps prevent overreach and preserves the balance of powers within the federal system.

The other potential answers do not accurately describe enumerated powers. Powers forbidden to the states are related to limits placed on state authority rather than powers given to Congress. Powers held solely by the President refer to executive authority, which is separate from legislative powers. Lastly, informal powers that exist through precedent are not constitutional and usually involve more ambiguity, lacking the specific legal framework that enumerated powers have. Thus, the most accurate description of enumerated powers in Congress is those powers explicitly specified in the Constitution.