Interstate Commerce
The U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3) authorizes Congress “to regulate commerce . . . among the several states”; this is the…
Electric Industry Restructuring
Electric energy is vital to the economic vitality of communities and nations. The regulatory compact that fostered this vital service provided a utility with…
Decentralization
“Decentralization” is a widely used term that lacks a precise definition. Generally, decentralization refers to the transfer of specific types of decision-making or administrative…
Noncentralization
“Noncentralization” is a term coined by Daniel J. Elazar in the 1960's to refer to a constitutional or political federal arrangement in which there…
De Jonge v. Oregon (1937)
See Incorporation (Nationalization) of the Bill of Rights
Darby Lumber Company v. United States (1941)
In Darby Lumber Company v. United States (1941), the U.S. Supreme Court sustained the constitutionality of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which set minimum wages and…
Dairy Compacts
A dairy compact is a legally binding agreement among states to set the minimum price for milk paid by milk processors to dairy farmers…
Cruzan v. Missouri Department of Health (1990)
Cruzan v. Missouri Department of Health (1990) was a Supreme Court case concerning the so-called right to die. Nancy Cruzan was a 32-year-old woman who was incompetent…
Washington v. Glucksberg (1997)
Washington v. Glucksberg (1997) saw the Supreme Court take up the emotional issue of assisted suicide. Chief Justice William Rehnquist unanimously upheld a state…
Pass through Requirements
A “pass through requirement” transfers money through a recipient government to a public or private third party. Funds for a pass through program may…
Crosscutting Requirements
Crosscutting requirements are a specific type of mandate. They impose requirements or conditions on all grants and programs involving federal money. These requirements apply…
USA PATRIOT Act of 2001
The full name of the act is the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001. On September 11, 2001, the United States was the…
National Security
The notion of national security has taken on different meanings throughout the course of U.S. history. Simply put, national security can be defined as…
