The MILD police power refers to which areas of congressional authority?

• A. Monetary, Internal Revenue, Land (federal), District of Columbia
• B. Major Industrial Districts
• C. Military, Indian reservation, Land (federal), District of Columbia
• D. Military, Indian tribes, Lands, District of Columbia

Answer: (C)

The MILD police power points to four spheres where Congress has exclusive, near-absolute authority to regulate. The initials stand for Military, Indian reservation (tribal affairs), Lands (federal lands), and District of Columbia. In the military realm, Congress has the power to raise and support armies and to govern military matters, which places federal control over military bases and operations above state police power. In Indian affairs, Congress holds plenary power over tribes and their lands, allowing comprehensive federal regulation of tribal government, land use, and related activities. For federal lands, Congress can regulate, dispose of, and manage property held by the United States, leaving states with no independent veto over those lands. And in the District of Columbia, Congress has exclusive authority to legislate for the district, since DC is not a state and falls under federal jurisdiction.

That combination—military matters, Indian affairs, federal lands, and DC governance—is what the mnemonic captures. Other options mix in areas not part of this framework, or omit one of the four core domains, so they don’t fit the established list as neatly.