States, cities & tribes
interstate compact
A binding agreement between states, often needing congressional consent. Used for river management, transit authorities, and cross-border licensing.
In full
The Compact Clause requires congressional consent for compacts, which courts have read to apply only where a compact increases state power at the expense of federal supremacy. Compacts create durable joint institutions, such as port authorities and river commissions, and they bind participating states as a matter of contract and federal law.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.