Which case was pivotal in establishing the federal government's ability to enforce civil rights protections in public accommodations under the Commerce Clause?

• A. Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States
• B. Gideon v. Wainwright
• C. United States v. Morrison
• D. Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. NRDC

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is that Congress can regulate activities that substantially affect interstate commerce, and that power extends to enforcing civil rights in places like hotels or motels that serve travelers crossing state lines. In Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States, the Supreme Court held that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 could bar racial discrimination in private public accommodations because such discrimination disrupts interstate commerce by deterring people from traveling and using these facilities, which in turn affects the flow of goods and markets between states. The Court rejected the notion that a local motel could evade federal regulation simply by arguing it wasn’t itself involved in interstate commerce; instead, discrimination in establishments serving interstate travelers was itself a matter that substantially affected interstate commerce, and Congress could regulate it under the Commerce Clause. This decision marked a pivotal expansion of federal power to enforce civil rights protections in public accommodations.

Gideon v. Wainwright concerns the right to counsel in criminal cases, United States v. Morrison raises questions about limits on Commerce Clause authority, and Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. NRDC deals with administrative law and agency deference. None of these establish or hinge on the federal government’s authority to regulate civil rights in public accommodations through the Commerce Clause in the same way Heart of Atlanta Motel does.