Federal Authority

Definition

Federal authority refers to the power and control that the central government, or federal government, has over the individual states within a country. It is the ability of the federal government to make decisions and enforce laws that apply to all states.

Related terms

States' Rights: The concept of states' rights refers to the belief that individual states should have more power and autonomy in making decisions rather than being heavily controlled by a central government.

Nullification: Nullification is when a state declares a federal law unconstitutional within its borders and refuses to comply with it.

Supremacy Clause: The Supremacy Clause is a clause in the United States Constitution that establishes that federal law takes precedence over state laws when there is a conflict between them.