The Necessary and Proper Clause, sometimes called the “coefficient” or “elastic” clause, is an enlargement, not a constriction, of the powers expressly granted to Congress. Chief Justice Marshall’s classic opinion in McCulloch v. Maryland1845 set the standard in words that reverberate to this day. Legal definition of necessary and proper clause: the clause in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution that empowers the Congress to make all laws necessary for executing its other powers and those of the federal government as a whole. Justice Ginsburg reasoned that the uninsured, as a class, have a substantial effect on interstate commerce. In addition, Congress has also been provided general powers under the necessary and proper clause, which states Congress can make laws it deems necessary and proper to carry out these enumerated powers. A primary issue was a particular section of Article I, the Necessary and Proper Clause, attached to the end of Section 8, which granted to Congress the right to pass all legislation necessary for the enforcement of the Constitution; under the Articles of Confederation, enforcement had been left to the states. He asserts that granting the union the right to make all laws “necessary and proper… In addition, Congress’s power under the Necessary and Proper Clause is far-reaching as Congress may regulate even those intrastate activities that have no substantial effect on interstate commerce. nEXT pAGE. Noun. To explore this concept, consider the following necessary and proper clause definition. The Elastic Clause, also known as the “Necessary and Proper Clause,” is perhaps the most important clause in the U.S. Constitution, though it is also the most controversial.The Clause gives Congress the authority to use powers not explicitly named in the Constitution, if they are necessary in order to perform its responsibilities as outlined in the Constitution. He states flatly that the clause is "invulnerable" and that without it the constitution would be a "dead letter." Madison then argues at length for the Necessary and Proper Clause, noting that no part of the constitution had come under more attack. Definition of Necessary and Proper Clause. Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates. A clause in Section 8, article 1 of the Constitution that provides the federal government with the authority to make laws that are necessary and proper for carrying out enumerated powers. - "Necessary and Proper" clause - This passes any laws that the Congress feels are important to have. Madison also defends the “necessary and proper” clause and the supremacy clause of the Constitution as essential to give “efficacy” to all the other powers and provisions granted to the national government in the Constitution. The Necessary and Proper Clause refers to a section of the United States Constitution that grants Congress the authority to create and enforce laws that are deemed "necessary and proper" by the powers granted to the branches of the government by the Constitution's various provisions. Case Summary of NFIB v. Sebelius: ... Justice Ginsburg would have upheld the individual mandate under the Commerce Clause and the Necessary and Proper Clause. Previous PAGE. 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