“To provide and maintain a navy;” Article I, Section 8, Clause 13, US Constitution
“The top priority of the federal government is the safety of this country.”
Ronald Reagan, Address to a joint session of the Oklahoma State Legislature, March 16, 1982
The founders did not see the same kind of danger to liberty with having a navy as they did with having a standing army. They observed throughout history that the standing army was more likely to be used by a tyrant to overthrow or rule.
Congress has the power to provide and maintain the Navy. There are no rules about the funding being re-established every two years.
They also recognized that trade by sea was necessary for the country to be stable and grow. The Navy would be charged to protect that trade.
Within the first twenty years, the navy was in use two times as Europe went to war. The British and French warships and the corsairs of the Barbary States challenged the American trade by sea. With the Navy in place, the United States was able to hold its own in the Quasi War with France (1798-1800) and the War of 1812 with the British per Mackubin Owens, Professor of National Security Affairs, US Naval War College, writing for Heritage Foundation.
With the Navy Clause, we the people give Congress the Power to maintain the Navy.
The benefit to we the people is that we have a Navy in continuous operation, ready to protect the nation when necessary.
Here is a video of the Navy Song, Anchors Aweigh. Enjoy!
References:
Findlay, Bruce Allyn and Findlay, Esther Blair. Your Rugged Constitution. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1950
Hannaford, Peter. The Quotable Ronald Reagan. Washington, DC: Regnery Press, 1998
US Constitution
http://www.heritage.org/constitution/#!/articles/1/essays/53/navy-clause
Reclaiming the Shining City 