For this part, please define the “elastic clause” as it pertains to the U.S. Constitution. Please give one example as to how this clause pertains to Congress and the Legislative Branch.
The "elastic clause" refers to Article I, Section 8, Clause 18 of the U.S. Constitution, also known as the "necessary and proper clause." It grants Congress the power to make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying out the other powers vested in it by the Constitution.
An example illustrating how this clause pertains to Congress and the Legislative Branch is the establishment of the Federal Reserve System. While the Constitution does not explicitly grant Congress the power to create a central banking system, Congress used the elastic clause to argue that it was necessary and proper for carrying out its powers to regulate commerce, control the currency, and establish a stable economy. As a result, the Federal Reserve Act was passed in 1913 to create the Federal Reserve System, which now serves as the central bank of the United States.