POLI 100: Bureaucracy

Lectures 13-14

Federal Bureaucracy

The sum total of all executive agencies and personnel

- 15 major cabinet departments (organized hierarchically)

- 12 independent regulatory commissions

- Dozens of independent agencies

DoJ (Department of Justice)

* Provides broad enforcement of federal laws

* Subagencies are FBI, DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration), BOP (Federal Bureau of Prisons

* Original department

DoD (Department of Defense)

* Provides military forces for national security (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Reserve and National Guard)

* Original department

Department of Treasury

* Manage federal finances (collect taxes, pays bills, manage national debt), produce coins and bills for circulation, advise Pres on economic matters

* Original department

Department of State

* Advises Pres on foreign policy, rep US in intl orgs (e.g. UN, WHO, WTO), oversees foreign aid and development assistance (USAID)

* Original department

Department of Agriculture

* Regulates meat, poultry and processed egg products, helps farmers stay in business (e.g. farm subsidies, loan programs)

* Clientele department

Department of Commerce

* Work to strengthen domestic industry (e.g. export assistance, market research), local economics (e.g. provides grants and investments to distressed communities), and enforce ensure fair trade

* Clientele department

Department of Veteran Affairs

* Provides benefits/services to veterans, families, and survivors (e.g. education, healthcare, home loans, life insurance, pensions, disability, compensation)
* Clientele department

Department of Labor

* administers/enforces federal laws that protect workers' rights (e.g. workplace safety standards, minimum wage, overtime pay, unemployment insurance, and protection from employment discrimination)

* Clientele department

Department of the Interior (DOI)

* Manages public lands, national parks, and wildlife refuges

* Clientele department

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

* Administers programs, funding, and research related to public health, food and drug safety, health insurance

* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Medicare and Medical Services (CMS)

* Service department

Department of Homeland Security (2002)

• Works to prevent and respond to domestic threats (e.g. terrorism, natural disasters, and border security)

• Service department

Department of Energy

• Manages the nuclear weapons stockpile, ensures national energy security, prompts energy efficiency, supports renewable energy research

• Service department

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

• Facilitates access to affordable housing (e.g. Section 8), public housing programs, community development (e.g. neighborhood improvements, infrastructure projects), and enforces fair housing laws

• Service department

Department of Transportation (DOT)

• Oversees the development and improvement of transportation and infrastructure

• sets safety regulations for transportation (e.g. vehicle safety standards, Federal Aviation Administration)

• Service department

Department of Education

• Manages and coordinates federal education programs and assistance (Title I, Individual with Disabilities Education Act - IDEA Grants, Federal Pell Grants, federal student loans)

• Enforces civil rights law designed to prevent race or sex-based discrimination in federally funded schools

• Conducts research on education, collects data on schools and students

• Service department

Cabinet Departments

Each headed by a secretary nominated by the president and approved by the Senate

Original departments

handle foundational government tasks (e.g. defense, law enforcement, financial management)

Clientele departments

charged with serving specific interests in society (e.g. agriculture, labor, veterans)

Service departments

provide broad social services that benefit the general population (e.g. health, education, housing)

Independent Regulatory Commissions

Commissions headed by bipartisan boards charged with creating and enforcing rules and regulations that protect public interests in specific areas

• Headed by boards (5-7 members) rather than single executives

• The boards must be bipartisan, with long and staggered terms

• President appoints heads but cannot fire them at will → insulate from political influence

Independent Agencies

• Agencies that exist outside the federal cabinet departments with broader mandates than IRCs (e.g. Conduct research, provide services, manage specific programs)

• Unlike independent regulatory commissions, the agencies are led by a single director/secretary/administrator