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Terms in this set (63)
block grants
federal programs that provide funds to state and local governments for broad functional areas, such as criminal justice or mental-health programs
categorical grants
federal grants to states or local governments that are for specific programs and projects
concurrent powers
powers held jointly by the national and state governments
confederal system
a system consisting of a league of independent states, each having essentially sovereign powers; the central government created by such a league has only limited powers over the states (Ex: US (under Articles of Confederation) and EU)
cooperative federalism
a model federalism in which the states and the national government cooperate in solving problems
devolution
the transfer of powers from a national or central government to a state or local government
dual federalism
a model of federalism in which the states and the national government each remain supreme within their own spheres; the doctrine looks on national and state as co-equal sovereign powers; neither the state government nor the national government should interfere in the others sphere
elastic clause (or necessary and proper clause)
the clause in Article I, Section 8, that grants Congress the power to do whatever is necessary to execute its specifically delegated powers
enumerated powers
powers specifically granted to the national government by the Constitution; the first seventeen clauses of Article I, Section 8, specify most of the enumerated powers of the national government
federal mandate
a requirement in federal legislation that forces states and municipalities to comply with certain rules
interstate compact
an agreement between two or more states; agreements on minor matters are made without congressional consent, but any compact that tends to increase the power of the contracting states relative to other states or relative to the national government generally requires the consent of Congress
picket-fence federalism
a model of federalism in which specific programs and policies (depicted as vertical pickets in a picket fence) involve all levels of government--national, state, and local (depicted by the horizontal boards in the picket fence)
police power
the authority to legislate for the protection of the health, morals, safety, and welfare of the people; in the US, most of this is reserved to the states
supremacy clause
the constitutional provision that makes the Constitution and federal laws superior to all conflicting state and local laws
unitary system
a centralized governmental system in which ultimate governmental authority rests in the hands of the national, or central, government (Ex: France)