The ruling in barrett v. united states (1977) established:

in mcculloch v. maryland (1819) the supreme court ruled that congress had implied powers under the necessary and proper clause of article i, section 8 of the constitution to create the second bank of the united states and that the state of maryland lacked the power to tax the bank.

gibbons v. ogden, (1824), was a landmark decision in which the supreme court of the united states held that the power to regulate interstate commerce, granted to congress by the commerce clause of the united states constitution, encompassed the power to regulate navigation.

on february 25, 2004, at the time the president of united states of america george bush announced that he supports the constitutional amendment to ban the same-sex marriage. but the possibility was left that states can decide whether they allow civil unions.