What clause establishes that federal law takes precedence over state laws?

• A. The Elastic Clause
• B. The Full Faith and Credit Clause
• C. The Commerce Clause
• D. The Supremacy Clause

Answer: (D)

The key idea is that federal authority can override state laws, and this is established by the Supremacy Clause. This clause, located in the Constitution as Article VI, Clause 2, says that the Constitution, federal laws, and treaties are the supreme law of the land and binding on state courts and governments. When a conflict arises between a federal law and a state law, the federal law takes precedence, and state laws must yield.

Understanding this helps explain why national standards can apply even when states try to set different rules. The Elastic Clause grants Congress the power to make laws needed to carry out its powers, but it doesn’t address which level of government wins in conflicts. The Full Faith and Credit Clause ensures states respect each other’s public acts and records, not federal-state supremacy. The Commerce Clause defines Congress’s power to regulate trade between states, again about power, not the supremacy relationship.