Concurrent powers are powers that are held by which entities?

• A. Only the federal government
• B. Only local governments
• C. Both federal and local governments
• D. The judiciary alone

Answer: (C)

Concurrent powers are powers exercised by more than one level of government at the same time. In the United States, both the federal government and state governments share abilities like taxing, borrowing money, and making and enforcing laws within their jurisdictions. This overlap lets the nation handle national concerns while also letting states address local needs, such as road maintenance or education policy. Some powers stay exclusive to the federal level or to the states, but the shared ones—where both can act—are what concurrent powers describe. When conflicts arise between levels, federal law generally prevails under the Supremacy Clause.