Article I, Section 8, Clause 17

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ARTICLE I, SECTION 8, CLAUSE 17

“The people of the United States empower the 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,”

After the Civil War the Federal government began to require the new states being added to the Union to cede large portions of land to the United States as a condition for statehood.

According the provisions of the "Equal Footing Doctrine all new states admitted to the Union were to be treated equally under the law. The amount of land owned by the Federal government in the states east of Colorado averages 2 to 4% while two thirds of the land west are federally owned.

"This Land is Not Your Land" By Laurence Vance
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ARTICLE I, SECTION 8 CLAUSE 18.

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.