No Child Left Behind Act
The first major legislative initiative of the Bush administration in 2001 reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. This new bi-partisan law,…
Intergovernmental Relations
The term “intergovernmental relations” (IGR) was invented in the 1930's as a phrase unique to the United States. It was a novel concept aimed…
Medicaid
Medicaid is a means-tested entitlement program, which was enacted in the shadow of the Medicare program in 1965. Since its conception, states had some…
National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, 567 U.S. 519 (2012)
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) v. Sebelius (567 U.S. 519 (2012)) is a U.S. Supreme Court decision that upheld most of the Patient…
Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972
Congress enacted the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA) to protect natural resources in coastal areas, including aquatic life, coastal waters, and adjacent…
Homestead Act of 1862
The Homestead Act of 1862 gave a citizen, or an immigrant who intended to become a citizen, the right to buy 160 acres of…
Governors and Federalism
Each American state selects its governor, the state’s chief executive official, through a popular election. In the early twentieth century, most governors served two-year…
Federal Courts
Article III of the U.S. Constitution authorizes federal courts when it provides that “the judicial Power of the United States shall be vested in…
Citizenship
In the United States, citizenship is based upon Enlightenment principles and was developed in the course of the American Revolution (1775–83) and the framing…
Dual Citizenship
In federal systems such as the United States, the term “dual citizenship” can have several meanings. One is a citizen of one’s nation and…
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is an act adopted by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, proclaiming American independence from Great…
Chiafalo v. Washington (2020)
In Chiafalo v. Washington, 591 U.S. ___ (2020), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the U.S. Constitution permits a state to enforce a…
Rural Policy
Over the course of American history, rural communities transformed from the home of the vast majority of Americans to the home of an ever-smaller…
