Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8 of the U.S. Constitution, commonly known as the "Intellectual Property Clause," gives Congress the authority 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." This clause directly provides the basis for both copyright and patent laws. Therefore, it specifically gives Congress the authority to:
b) Grant patents.
This clause enables Congress to grant both copyrights and patents, which are protections for creators and inventors to control and benefit from their creations and inventions.