Bureaucracy Vocab

bureaucracy

government organizations and employees that administer laws and programs

implementation

putting a law or public policy into practice

cabinet department

a large executive organization responsible for a broad policy area and headed by a secretary

independent executive agency

a specialized executive agency located outside the cabinet departments

independent regulatory commission

a multimember agency designated to regulate a policy or economic sector with some independence from direct presidential control

civil service

the professional career workforce of government

merit system

hiring and promotion based mainly on qualifications rather than political loyalty

spoils system / patronage

giving government jobs to political supporters instead of using a merit-based process

delegation

congress giving an agency authority to carry out or fill in part of a law

discretionary authority

the lawful freedom officials have to make choices about how to implement a law

rulemaking

the process agencies use to create legally binding regulations under delegated authority

regulation

a legally binding rule created by an agency under authority given by law

congressional oversight

congress monitoring and investigating agencies to make sure they carry out the law properly

political appointee

an executive official chosen by the president or another political leader rather than through the career civil service

career civil servant

a professional government employee who usually remains in service when administrations change

iron triangle

a stable relationship among a congressional committee, a bureaucratic agency, and an interest group

issue network

a broader and more fluid group of officials, experts, organizations, and advocates involved in a policy area

notice-and-comment rulemaking

a process in which an agency published a proposed rule and allows the public to respond before a final rule is adopted

administrative accountability

the ways agencies are held responsible by Congess, the president, courts, and the public

environmental protection agency (EPA)

a federal agency that implements many national environmental laws and pollution rules

security and exchange commission (SEC)

a federal commission that regulates sercurity markets and enforces federal sercurities laws

department of homeland security (DHS)

a cabinet department responsible for major homeland-security functions

department of education (ED)

a cabinet department that administers federal education programs, aids, grants, and civil-rights enforcement in education