AP US Gov + Pol Ch 3 Vocab

Block grants

National funding with minimal restrictions to the states on its use and is preferred by the states

Categorical grants

National funding that is restricted to specific categories of expenditures, is preferred by the national government, and is the most commonly used form of funding

Concurrent powers

Shared between both levels of government such as the power to collect taxes, the power to make and enforce laws and the power to build roads

Denied power

Specific powers that are explicitly prohibited to the government by the Constitution. These powers are denied to both the federal and state governments to ensure a balance of power and protect individual rights

Devolution

Transferring responsibility for policies from the federal government to state and local governments

Enumerated/delegated powers

Written in the Constitution

Federalism

The system of government in the US in which power is shared between the national and state governments

Federalist 51

Explains how constitutional provisions of separation of powers and checks and balances control potential abuses by majorities

Fiscal federalism

The pattern of spending, taxing, and providing grants in the federal system; it is the cornerstone of the national government’s relations with state and local governments

Formula grants

Federal categorical grants distributed according to a formula specified in legislation or in administrative regulations

Fourteenth amendment

Due Process Clause and Equal Protection Clause as applied to the states

Full faith and credit clause

A clause in Article IV of the Constitution requiring each state to recognize the public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of all other states

Grants-in-aid

Support the projects and programs of state and local governments, organizations, and educational institutions

Implied powers

Not specifically written in the Constitution but are inferred in the Necessary and Proper Clause

Inherent powers

Powers held by the US President which are not specified in the Constitution, but which are needed to efficiently perform the duties of the office

McCulloch v. Maryland

An 1819 Supreme Court decision that established the supremacy of the national government over state governments. The Court, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, held that Congress had certain implied powers in addition to the powers enumerated in the Constitution

Necessary and proper/elastic clause

Gives Congress the power to make laws related to carrying out its enumerated powers, but Supreme Court interpretations can influence the extent of these powers

Privileges and immunities clause

The provision of the Constitution according to citizens of each state the privileges of citizens of any state in which they happen to be

Project grants

Federal categorical grants given for specific purposes and awarded on the basis of the merits of the applications

Reserved powers

Those not delegated or enumerated to the national government but are reserved to the states, as stated in the Tenth Amendment

Revenue sharing

National funding with almost no restrictions to the states on its use and is the least used form of funding

Supremacy clause

Gives the national government and its laws general precedence over states’ laws, but Supreme Court interpretations may affect when specific actions exceed this constitutional power

Tenth amendment

The last of the Bill of Rights to define the balance of power between the federal government and the states; establishes reserved powers of the states

Mandate

Requirements by the national government of the states

Unfunded mandates

When a state, local, or tribal government must perform certain actions or offer certain programs but doesn’t get any federal funds to make it happen

US v. Lopez

Supreme Court case from 1995 which limited Congress’ commerce power under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution