Legal Concepts

Necessary and Proper Clause

The part of the Constitution that grants Congress the power to pass laws that are needed to carry out the powers specifically given to them in the Constitution. The Necessary and Proper Clause can be found in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.

Landmark Cases Involving Necessary and Proper Clause:

A drawing of the U.S. Bank in Philidelphia with many people scattered across the foreground.

McCulloch v. Maryland

Congress has Implied Powers to Create a National Bank

Learn more about the Necessary and Proper Clause in Wex, a free legal dictionary and encyclopedia from Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute.

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