What Supreme Court case limited the scope of Congress’s commerce powers?

The Supreme Court case that limited the scope of Congress’s commerce powers is United States v. Lopez. In this landmark decision from 1995, the Court ruled that Congress had overstepped its authority under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution when it enacted the Gun-Free School Zones Act. The Court found that possession of a gun near a school did not significantly affect interstate commerce, thereby establishing a precedent that the federal government could not use the Commerce Clause to regulate activities that were purely local in nature.

This case marked a shift in judicial interpretation regarding the reach of federal power, as the Court emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between state and federal authority. The ruling indicated that there were limits to congressional power under the Commerce Clause, a principle that would influence future cases involving the scope of federal regulation.

By contrast, the other cases listed, such as McCulloch v. Maryland, Wickard v. Filburn, and Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States, upheld broader interpretations of federal power, allowing Congress significant leeway in regulating activities that could be linked to interstate commerce.