The Day Key Sections of the Constitution Disappeared Online

A Coding Error Removed Major Powers and Protections—Here’s What Happened

On August 6, 2025, many Americans were surprised to see that significant parts of the U.S. Constitution were missing from the official website of the Library of Congress. For a few hours, three key sections—Article I, Sections 8, 9, and 10—were not showing online. Teachers, students, and others who rely on this resource noticed quickly and became very concerned.

What happened? These three parts are extremely important because they list the specific powers Congress has, the limits on Congress, and the restrictions on what states can do. Below you’ll find the full official texts for each section, as they are written in the Constitution:

Article I, Section 8: Powers of Congress

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;—And

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.constitution.congress+2

Article I, Section 9: Limits on Congress

The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.

The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.

No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken.

No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.

No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another: nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.

No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.

No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.lawforseniors+2

Article I, Section 10: Limits on States

No State shall enter into any Treaty, Alliance, or Confederation; grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal; coin Money; emit Bills of Credit; make any Thing but gold and silver Coin a Tender in Payment of Debts; pass any Bill of Attainder, ex post facto Law, or Law impairing the Obligation of Contracts, or grant any Title of Nobility.

No State shall, without the Consent of the Congress, lay any Imposts or Duties on Imports or Exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for executing its inspection Laws: and the net Produce of all Duties and Imposts, laid by any State on Imports or Exports, shall be for the Use of the Treasury of the United States; and all such Laws shall be subject to the Revision and Control of the Congress.

No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay.annenbergclassroom+2

After widespread concern, the Library of Congress explained that a “coding error” during an update caused these parts to disappear from the site. The error was fixed within hours, and the full text was restored. The actual Constitution and the law were never changed. This event reminded the public about the importance of digital access to government documents and the need to stay alert for mistakes, while also checking the facts before assuming the worst.

Stay Informed Peeps!

Tabitha

Donald Trump’s Administration Deleted Parts Of The United States Constitution!!

Resources:

1. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-1/section-8/

2. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript

3. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/article-1/

4. https://lawforseniors.org/u-s-constitution/153-article-1-section-9

5. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-1/section-9/

6. https://www.annenbergclassroom.org/article-i-section-10/

7. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-1/section-10/

8. https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/articles/article-i

9. https://www.annenbergclassroom.org/article-i-section-8/

10. https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/15-628j-patents-copyrights-and-the-law-of-intellectual-property-spring-2013/acb316e99ff79ef7d4717ac39237b242_MIT15_628JS13_read02.pdf

11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_One_of_the_United_States_Constitution

12. https://www.annenbergclassroom.org/article-i-section-9/

13. https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/articles/article-i/clauses/767

14. https://uscode.house.gov/static/constitution.pdf

15. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/article-1/

16. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/HMAN-108/pdf/HMAN-108-pg64.pdf

17. https://lawforkids.org/classroom/docs/u-s-constitution/article-1-section-8

18. https://www.learningforjustice.org/classroom-resources/texts/hard-history/article-1-section-9-of-the-us-constitution

19. https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/article-1/section-10

20. http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?submenu=3