Federal Aid to State and Local Governments by Major Agency, Fiscal Year 2003
U.S. Department or Agency 2002
Spending
(billions)		 2003
Spending
(billions)		 2003
Percent
of total		 Percent Change,
2002 to 2003
Health and Human Services $204.2 $221.0 57.3% 8.2%
Transportation $38.7 $38.9 10.1% 0.5%
Housing and Urban Development $37.0 $39.4 10.2% 6.5%
Education $32.7 $29.2 7.6% -10.7%
Agriculture $21.5 $22.1 5.7% 2.8%
Other agencies $28.3 $35.1 9.1% 24.0%
Total $362.4 $385.7 100% 6.4%
long description of table

Show us some love. States need the money the federal government distributes to provide many of the programs, services, and the infrastructure of modern life that citizens expect. Because the ability to allocate scarce resources is the essence of politics, federal aid to states reflects the power of the national government within the federal system.
Source: Census Bureau. (full source)