Extradition

A legal process whereby an alleged criminal offender is surrendered by the officials of one state to officials of the state in which the crime is alleged to have been committed

Enumerated powers

Powers of the federal government that are spercifically addressed in the Constitution; for Congress, these power are listed in Article I Section 8, and include the power to coin money, regulate its value,and impose taxes

Federalism

A way of organizing a nation so that two or more levels of government have formal authority over the same land and people.

Block grants

Federal grants given more or less automatically to states or communities to support broad programs in areas such as community deverlopment and social services

Dual federalism

A system of government in which both the states and the national government remaind supreme within their own spheres, each responsible for some policies

Elastic Clause

the final paragraph of Article I, Section8, of the Constitution, which authorizes Congress to pass all laws "necessary and proper" to carry our the enumerated powers

Full faith and credit clause

A clause in Article IV, Section 1, of the Constitution requiring each state to recognize the offcial documents and civil judgements rendered by the courts of other states.

Intergovernmental relations

workings of the federal system the entire set of interactions among national,stae, and local governments