Which clause grants Congress the power to regulate commerce among the states, with foreign nations, and among Indian tribes?

Which clause grants Congress the power to regulate commerce among the states, with foreign nations, and among Indian tribes?

• A. Commerce Clause
• B. Elastic Clause
• C. Due Process Clause
• D. Full Faith and Credit Clause

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is identifying the clause that explicitly authorizes Congress to regulate trade that crosses state lines as well as trade with foreign nations and with Indian tribes. That exact grant is the Commerce Clause, found in Article I, Section 8, which states that Congress has the power to regulate commerce among the states, with foreign nations, and with the Indian tribes. This provision has been the foundation for much federal regulation of the economy and has been interpreted broadly over time. The Elastic Clause, or Necessary and Proper Clause, allows Congress to enact laws needed to carry out its enumerated powers, but it is not the clause that directly names the commerce-regulation power. The Due Process Clause and the Full Faith and Credit Clause address different issues—procedural fairness and cross-state recognition of acts, respectively—so they do not grant the authority to regulate commerce.

The main idea here is identifying the clause that explicitly authorizes Congress to regulate trade that crosses state lines as well as trade with foreign nations and with Indian tribes. That exact grant is the Commerce Clause, found in Article I, Section 8, which states that Congress has the power to regulate commerce among the states, with foreign nations, and with the Indian tribes. This provision has been the foundation for much federal regulation of the economy and has been interpreted broadly over time.

The Elastic Clause, or Necessary and Proper Clause, allows Congress to enact laws needed to carry out its enumerated powers, but it is not the clause that directly names the commerce-regulation power. The Due Process Clause and the Full Faith and Credit Clause address different issues—procedural fairness and cross-state recognition of acts, respectively—so they do not grant the authority to regulate commerce.