Congress’s authority to force testimony stems from the Constitution’s implicit grant of inherent power, a necessity for its legislative function. The Supreme Court confirmed this in *United States v. Ballin* (1892) and *Jurney v. MacCormack* (1935). Statutory law backs this up. 2 U.S.C. § 192 criminalizes refusing to answer questions pertinent to a congressional inquiry. Committees investigate and recommend contempt citations, but they do not hold the final power. Under current rules, the full House or Senate must vote to formally hold a witness in contempt. Delegation to committees is procedural, not substantive.
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