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Increased Federal Aid
| 1 |
With
the Great Depression of the 1930s, the federal government became the
prime mover in regard to the health and welfare of Americans
(as it had in
regard to the regulation of business and industry). In this field, too, many
Americans felt that in a time of great social distress the states had failed
to act. Just as it eventually did in interpreting the interstate commerce
clause to uphold federal regulation of business and industry, the Supreme
Court gave a broad construction of the welfare clause, a line in Article
1, Section 8, of the Constitution, which states that Congress has the power
to provide for “the general welfare of the United States.” |
| 2 |
Public expectations
of what the national government should do greatly expanded. This expansion
continued as a response to social changes—a growing national population
and increased industrialization, urbanization, and mobility of America’s
citizens. |
| 3 |
Federal taxing,
spending, and borrowing grew. And when Congress enacted a new program,
it frequently provided that all or a portion of the costs would
be borne by the federal government, but that the administration of the program
and, sometimes, a portion of the funds (as matching funds), would be the responsibility
of the states and local governments. Such grants-in-aid programs, as they were
called, or federal funds provided to the lower levels of government for the
accomplishment of specific purposes, had a long history in the United States.
One of the first, in 1862, used federal land grants to the states, rather than
grants of federal money, to help fund state universities. There were early
federal grants-in-aid of money to aid the blind (1879), to build agricultural
experiment stations (1887) and highways (1916), and to foster vocational education
(1917) and aid veterans (1920). Much broader social welfare programs—especially
welfare and unemployment insurance—were established as grants-in-aid
programs during the 1930s. |
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*estimated
(Harris, Fred R.,
et al., Understanding American Government. (Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman,
1988) 69-71) |
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