Which agency is described as having its only mention in the US Constitution via the interstate commerce provision?

• A. Environmental Protection Agency
• B. Federal Trade Commission
• C. Department of Health and Human Services
• D. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Answer: (B)

The ability of the federal government to regulate business across state lines comes from the Commerce Clause, which Congress uses as the basis for creating agencies that oversee interstate trade. The Federal Trade Commission was established specifically to curb unfair or deceptive practices in commerce that cross state borders, making regulation of interstate commerce its central purpose. Because its mandate is tightly linked to preventing harms in cross-state trade, it sits squarely on the Commerce Clause authority, more so than the other agencies listed, which were created to address environmental, health, or disease-control issues through different statutory foundations.