The Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution (Article VI, Clause 2) establishes that the Constitution,  federal laws made pursuant to it and treaties made under its authority, constitute the supreme law of the land. It provides that state courts are bound by the supreme law; in case of conflict between federal and state law, the federal law must be applied. Even state constitutions are subordinate to federal law. The federal government possesses only the supreme authority accorded it by the Constitution. However, the scope of this authority is very broad, as the federal government is tasked with providing for the general welfare of the United States.