Relationship Between States and National Government Practice Test

Conditional grants-in-aid; Congress uses the Spending Power to encourage state policy changes by attaching conditions to federal funds.

Commandeering; Congress requires state legislatures to pass a drinking-age law and threatens criminal penalties for state officials who refuse.

Block grant; Congress gives states money with no strings attached, letting each state decide whether to raise the drinking age.

Unfunded mandate; Congress orders states to change drinking laws without offering resources, relying on the Supremacy Clause to force compliance.

Reserved powers; states may accept federal funds only if Congress enumerates a drinking-age power in Article I, Section 8.