How does the Commerce Clause shape federal power?

• A. It restricts Congress to regulate only intrastate commerce.
• B. It authorizes Congress to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, expanding federal authority.
• C. It regulates only domestic trade within states.
• D. It allows states to regulate commerce with foreign nations.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that Congress can regulate economic activity that crosses borders, giving the national government broad power over the economy. The Commerce Clause authorizes Congress to regulate interstate and foreign commerce, which expands federal authority beyond purely local rules. That’s why the best answer is that Congress may regulate interstate and foreign commerce, expanding federal authority. The other descriptions don’t fit because they either limit regulation to within a single state, ignore interstate or foreign aspects, or wrongly assign such powers to the states.