Strong states, strong nation: states play a powerful and important role in making our country strong.

• Author: Pound, William T.
• Position: National Conference of State Legislatures

The premise of NCSL's 2006 Annual Meeting is that as the states are strong, so is the nation. This has never been so true as it is today.

Not all federal systems balance responsibility and power as we do in the United States--in fact, most do not. Although much tension and stress exist in the state-federal relationship, it remains vital after nearly 230 years. The states are more vigorous, innovative and important to the daily lives of Americans than at any previous time despite trends in various areas toward greater federal preemption of authority and mandating action. In recent years, most innovation in domestic policy has taken place at the state and local levels.

If we do not have strong states, many national programs would be ineffective, because states in many cases deliver them. Without strong and innovative states, the "laboratories of democracy" as described by Justice Louis Brandeis, would not be able to experiment and develop policy initiatives on a smaller and more manageable level. We would lose the freedom and diversity that characterize the United States. While regional differences are harder to find today, they do exist. One-size-fits-all should be a limited prescription for policymaking in this country.

Strong states create a strong nation and provide many outlets for pressure, tension and innovation within our governmental system. Legislators from other countries tell us they are often surprised by the vigor of our states and by the independent financial resources available to them. Even the European Union--with its emphasis on unity and melding nations--is seeing the desire for regional autonomy expressed in countries such as Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.

In recent years, the states have led the country in many policy areas. Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont have created laws to make health insurance available and affordable to most of their citizens. Arkansas, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia all have laws that seek to reduce the ranks of the uninsured. States started pharmaceutical assistance programs when there was no federal program. Now in the aftermath of Medicare Part D, they are still in the business, changing their programs to provide additional support or find ways to help more people.

States are tackling environmental challenges, on their own and in regional coalitions, setting tough standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and timelines to...