Which 1910 law extended the Interstate Commerce Commission's authority to regulate telecommunications?

Which 1910 law extended the Interstate Commerce Commission's authority to regulate telecommunications?

• A. The Sherman Antitrust Act
• B. The Mann–Elkins Act
• C. The Clayton Act
• D. The Pure Food and Drug Act

Answer: (B)

Extending regulatory power over public utilities during the Progressive Era is the key idea. The Mann-Elkins Act of 1910 expanded the Interstate Commerce Commission’s reach beyond railroads to include telecommunications—telegraph and telephone companies—giving the ICC authority to regulate rates, require filing of rate schedules, and even suspend rate changes. This move reflects the era’s belief that the government should oversee essential services to curb abuses by large carriers and ensure fair access. The other laws mentioned don’t fit this expansion. The Sherman Antitrust Act targets trusts and anti-competitive practices in general; the Clayton Act (later) strengthens antitrust enforcement; the Pure Food and Drug Act focuses on consumer protection rather than regulating utilities. So the Mann-Elkins Act is the one that specifically broadened the ICC’s regulatory scope to telecommunications.

Extending regulatory power over public utilities during the Progressive Era is the key idea. The Mann-Elkins Act of 1910 expanded the Interstate Commerce Commission’s reach beyond railroads to include telecommunications—telegraph and telephone companies—giving the ICC authority to regulate rates, require filing of rate schedules, and even suspend rate changes. This move reflects the era’s belief that the government should oversee essential services to curb abuses by large carriers and ensure fair access.

The other laws mentioned don’t fit this expansion. The Sherman Antitrust Act targets trusts and anti-competitive practices in general; the Clayton Act (later) strengthens antitrust enforcement; the Pure Food and Drug Act focuses on consumer protection rather than regulating utilities. So the Mann-Elkins Act is the one that specifically broadened the ICC’s regulatory scope to telecommunications.