No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
The Supreme Court has sustained several federal laws and regulations addressing economic matters, imposed under powers specifically granted to the Federal Government, over objections based on the Due Process Clause. For example, Congress may require the owner of a vessel entering United States ports, and on which alien seamen are afflicted with specified diseases, to bear the cost of hospitalizing such persons.1 Congress may prohibit the transportation in interstate commerce of filled milk2 or the importation of convict-made goods into any state where their receipt, possession, or sale is a violation of local law.3 It may require employers to bargain collectively with representatives of their employees chosen in a manner prescribed by law; to reinstate employees discharged in violation of law; and to permit use of a company-owned hall for union meetings.4 Subject to First Amendment considerations, Congress may regulate the postal service to deny its facilities to persons who would use them for purposes contrary to public policy.5
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Footnotes
- 1
- United States v. New York S.S. Co., 269 U.S. 304 (1925).
- 2
- United States v. Carolene Products Co., 304 U.S. 144 (1938); Carolene Products Co. v. United States, 323 U.S. 18 (1944).
- 3
- Kentucky Whip & Collar Co. v. Illinois Cent. R.R., 299 U.S. 334 (1937).
- 4
- E.g., Virginian Ry. v. System Federation No. 40, 300 U.S. 515 (1937); NLRB v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp., 301 U.S. 1 (1937); Railway Employes’ Dep’t v. Hanson, 351 U.S. 225 (1956); NLRB v. Stowe Spinning Co., 336 U.S. 226 (1949); NLRB v. Mackay Radio & Tel. Co., 304 U.S. 333 (1938).
- 5
- Ex parte Jackson, 96 U.S. 727 (1878); Rowan v. Post Office Dep’t, 397 U.S. 728 (1970).