The U.S. Constitution's Commerce Clause, the Supreme Court, and public health.

摘要

The U.S. Constitution's Commerce Clause represents one of Congress's most important sources of legislative powers. Although the Commerce Clause's text neither explicitly mentions nor even alludes to public health, its interpretation by the U.S. Supreme Court has played a key role in either promoting or hindering efforts to achieve landmark legislation affecting the public's health. Most recently, the Commerce Clause has figured prominently in lawsuits challenging the validity of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) . The constitutional litigation concerning health-care reform has brought increased attention to the complex nature of the Commerce Clause and its relationship to the public's health.