Bureaucracy and Administrative Discretion

Administrative discretion

Authority of administrative actors to choose from various responses to a problem when rules do not fit or more than one rule applies.

Appropriation

Legislative grant of money to finance a government program or agency.

Authorizing legislation

Legislative permission to start or continue a government program or agency, which may be annual, multiyear, or permanent.

Bureaucrat

An official employed within a government bureaucracy.

Bureaucratic Adjudication

When the federal bureaucracy settles disputes between parties over the implementation of federal laws or determines coverage under a regulation or program.

Civil service

Promotes hiring based on merit and establishes a nonpartisan government service.

Command-and-control policy

Regulatory strategy where government sets a requirement and enforces individual and corporate actions to meet the requirement.

Committee clearance

The ability of a congressional committee to review and approve certain agency decisions in advance and without passing a law.

Competitive service

Government offices to which people are appointed based on merit as ascertained by a written examination or meeting certain selection criteria.

Deregulation

The withdrawal of governmental authority to control or change some practice in the private sector.

Discretionary authority

The extent to which appointed bureaucrats can choose courses of action and make policies not spelled out in advance by laws.

Executive orders

Regulations originating in the executive branch.

Federal Bureaucracy

Departments and agencies within the executive branch that carry out the laws of the nation.

Governmental corporations

Provide services that could be handled by the private sector but generally charge cheaper rates than a private sector producer.

GS (General Service) rating

Assigned to each job in federal agencies to determine the associated salary.

Hatch Act

Passed in 1940, prohibits government workers from active participation in partisan politics.

Implementation

The bureaucracy's role in putting into action the laws that Congress has passed.

Incentive system

Regulatory strategy that rewards individuals or corporations for desired behavior, usually through the tax code.

Independent executive agencies

Executive agencies that are not cabinet departments, regulatory commissions, or government corporations.

Independent regulatory commission

Has responsibility for a sector of the economy to protect the public interest.

Iron triangles

Refers to the strong ties among government agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees and subcommittees.

Issue network

A network of people in Washington, DC who regularly discuss and advocate public policies.

Laissez-faire

An economic theory that government should not regulate or interfere with commerce.

Merit principle

Using entrance exams and promotion ratings for hiring workers.

Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

Responsible for hiring for most agencies.

Patronage

A hiring and promotion system based on knowing the right people.

Pendleton Civil Service Act

Passed in 1883, it created the federal Civil Service.

Policy implementation

The stage of policymaking between the establishment of a policy and the results for individuals.

Red tape

Complex bureaucratic rules and procedures that must be followed to get something done.

Regulation

The use of governmental authority to control or change some practice in the private sector.

Senior Executive Service

The very top level of the bureaucracy.

Standard operating procedures

Detailed rules written to cover as many particular situations as officials can anticipate to help bureaucrats implement policies uniformly.

Street-level bureaucrats

Bureaucrats who are in constant contact with the public.

Trust funds

Funds for government programs collected and spent outside the regular government budget.