Final answer:
Unfunded mandates result from the tension between federal and state or local governments and involve federal requirements imposed without accompanying funding.
Step-by-step explanation:
Unfunded mandates were primarily the result of tension between federal and state or local governments. These mandates are federal requirements that states must follow without providing federal funding to support their implementation. This situation often arises when the federal government wants to achieve national policy goals without increasing federal spending, thereby shifting the financial burden to state and local governments. The Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, and its subsequent amendments, aimed to increase transparency and limit the use of unfunded mandates, but states have seen limited relief since its passage. Unfunded mandates were primarily the result of tension between the federal government and state/local governments. The federal government used categorical grants to dictate terms and conditions for financial assistance, which eventually extended to requiring compliance with legislative and executive authorizations even when funding wasn't attached. These requests, known as unfunded mandates, are a source of dissatisfaction for state and local political actors.