Legal Definitions - federal

federal

The term federal refers to the United States Government, including its legislative, executive, and judicial branches. It also includes the laws, rules, and regulations created by these branches of government. The division of power between the federal government and state governments is called federalism.

• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a federal agency that investigates crimes that cross state lines.
• The federal government passed the Affordable Care Act, which requires all Americans to have health insurance.
• The Constitution outlines the powers of the federal government and the rights of individual states.

These examples illustrate how the term federal is used to describe the United States Government and its laws and agencies. The FBI is a federal agency because it is part of the national government, not a state government. The Affordable Care Act is a federal law because it was passed by Congress and applies to all Americans, regardless of which state they live in. The Constitution is a federal document because it outlines the powers of the national government and the rights of individual states.