Budget and Bureaucracy Vocabulary

Cabinet

Agencies in this Include the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and teh State Department.

CBO

Congressional Budget Office - Non-Partisan agency that estimates the impacts of Congressional actions (e.g how much a new bill will impact spending and the national debt).

Congress

Has the investigative and oversight function in the bureaucracy.

Corporations

Amtrak and the U.S. Postal Service preform tasks that a buisub=ness could feasibly preform. Therefore,t= these are both considered to be government (blank).

Debt

The total amount of money that the U.S. owes.

Deficit

The yearly amount that the U.S. is “short”.

Depression

The great event for FDR led to HUGE GROWTH of th =e federal bureaucracy (see the Tenessee Valley Authority, Social Security, FDIC, ect…)

Devolution

Reagan’s policy of cutting taxes and federal domestic spending and giving more repsonsibility to the states attmepting to shrink the size of the federal government (opposite of New Deal).

Discretionary Authority

The ability of the Bureaucracy to make rules is kown as (blank).

Entitlements

Federal benifits that MUST be funded by Congress and MUST be paid to all citizens who meet eligibility criteria (e.g. Social Security, Medicare, ect…)

Federal reserve

Sets intrest rates in order to encourage economic growth (acts independently of the president) MONETARY POLICY.

Fiscal

The type of policies that refer to the government´s power to tax and spend - done by elected officials ulike monetary policy.

House

The chamber of Congress that has the power of the purse.

Impoundment

When a President underfunds an agecy in order to ifluence policy (e.g. short-changing the EPA or SEC.) This is NOT allowed anymore - the president can propose a budget but the process starts in the House.

Investigate

The Legislative branch, through committees, may (blank) the bureaucracy.

Iron

Term used to describe the Impetrable relationship betwee Congress, Intrest Groups, and Agecies - (blank) triangles.

Loyal

A lifelong bureacrat working for SEC, though technically under the Executive Branch, he/she may ot feel (blank) to the president.

Medicare

Along with Social Security, the other largest entitlment program.

Monetary

The policy (controlled by the Federal Reserve) that attempts to control inflation by increasing or decreasing the money supply.

OMB

Acronym - Preares executive speding proposals submitted to Congress.

Oversight

Congressional committees have (blank) power over the bureaucracy.

President

Nomiates the heads of cabinet departments.

Progressive

A tax that charges more of the rich than the poor.

Regulate

Independeet Regulatory Agencies such as the FCC (radio and TV), SEC, (buisinesses and stocks), and EPA (pollution) are all designed to enforce rules or (blank) industry.

Republican

The party that tends to be anti-bureacracy.

Senate

Ratifies or approves cabinet nominees (advice and consent).

Unfunded

Budget mandates to the states that are not paid for (e.g. parts of NCLB and the ADA).

Descrtionary

The opposite of entitlement spending - does not ¨need¨ to be spent (e.g. military, highways…)