Final answer:
A federal requirement that obliges states and municipalities to follow certain regulations without providing federal funding is called an unfunded mandate.
Step-by-step explanation:
A requirement in federal legislation that forces states and municipalities to comply with certain rules is called a federal mandate. Specifically, when these mandates impose obligations but don't provide federal funds to cover the costs associated with complying with these rules, they are known as unfunded mandates. These mandates have been increasingly used since the 1960s to push national objectives in areas like the environment and civil rights, often provoking dissent from state and local governments due to the financial burdens they introduce. The widespread use of unfunded mandates led to the establishment of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act in 1995 to provide more transparency and reduce the use of mandates without associated funding.
Examples of federal mandates include Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which could lead to the suspension of federal grants for non-compliance with anti-discrimination policies, and the Clean Air Act, which sets air quality regulations but requires states to develop plans to meet those standards without always providing the necessary funding.