Court Opinion

ID: 9433948
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-02 23:41:48.813016+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:23:45.166243
License: Public Domain

Justice Thomas,
concurring.
The majority opinion correetly applies our decision in United States v. Lopez, 514 U. S. 549 (1995), and I join it in full. I write separately only to express my view that the very notion of a “substantial effects” test under the Commerce Clause is inconsistent with the original understanding of Congress’ powers and with this Court’s early Commerce Clause cases. By continuing to apply this rootless and malleable standard, however circumscribed, the Court has encouraged the Federal Government to persist in its view that the Commerce Clause has virtually no limits. Until this Court replaces its existing Commerce Clause jurisprudence with a standard more consistent with the original understanding, we will continue to see Congress appropriating state police powers under the guise of regulating commerce.