Which clause authorizes Congress to exercise implied powers through the Necessary and Proper Clause?

• A. The Supremacy Clause (Article VI)
• B. The Necessary and Proper Clause (Article I, Section 8)
• C. The Commerce Clause
• D. The Elastic Clause

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is that Congress can act beyond what’s spelled out in the Constitution by using the Necessary and Proper Clause to carry out its enumerated powers, creating implied powers. This clause, found in Article I, Section 8, authorizes Congress to make laws that are necessary and proper for executing those listed powers. It’s through this clause that Congress can adopt measures not explicitly written in the Constitution, as recognized in cases like McCulloch v. Maryland. The name of the clause itself is the Necessary and Proper Clause, though it’s sometimes called the Elastic Clause; the question asks for the formal name, so this is the best fit. The other options point to different provisions or concepts: the Supremacy Clause establishes federal law’s primacy; the Commerce Clause is an enumerated grant of power; and while the Elastic Clause refers to the same idea, the formal label required here is the Necessary and Proper Clause.