Which constitutional clause empowers Congress to regulate interstate commerce?

• A. It empowers Congress to regulate interstate commerce.
• B. It grants Congress the power to coin money.
• C. It reserves power to regulate commerce to the states.
• D. It authorizes states to regulate trade only within their borders.

Answer: (A)

The Commerce Clause gives Congress the authority to regulate interstate commerce. This clause, located in Article I, Section 8, Clause 3, is the constitutional basis for federal regulation of economic activity that crosses state lines or has a substantial effect on trade between the states. That’s why the statement saying Congress is empowered to regulate interstate commerce best captures the grant of power. Historical rulings like Gibbons v. Ogden affirmed federal authority over interstate navigation, and later cases like Wickard v. Filburn broadened the reach to activities with indirect effects on interstate commerce. The other options point to different powers or limitations—coin money is handled by the Coinage Clause; the idea that commerce power is reserved to the states contradicts the federal structure; and allowing states to regulate only intrastate trade describes regulation within a single state, not Congress’s authority to regulate across state lines.