Fed Bureaucracy

administrative adjudication

agencies resolve disputes over the implementation of administrative rules

rule making

where independent commission or agency fills in the details of a vague law by making rules and regulations and standards to be enforced

appropriation law

laws by congress that give bureaucracies and other gov entities legal authority to spend money

civil servant

bureaucrats hired through a merit based personnel system and who have job protection from the Civil Service Reform Act

Civil Service Reform Act

• created the SES

• enhanced bureaucratic accountability

• provided civil servants who are whistleblowers, protect the jobs of bureaucrats who are whistleblowers

civil service commission

• created by the Pendleton Act

• now not active

• oversaw merit-based hiring + protected workers from politically motivated removal

discretionary authority

• comes after rule making

• power delegated to bureaucrats to use their judgement when determining how to implement public policy/ the rules from rule making

Freedom of Information Act

• 1966 law

• allows public to request access to federal government records

• promotes transparency

Government Corporation

an exec branch unit that sells a service and is expected to be financially self sufficent

• US Post office

Hatch Act

civil servants paid by federal funds cant be involved with politics, to create a politically neutral civil service

• violated 1st AMD so then Federal Employees Political Activities Act

Independent Administrative Agency

an exec branch created by Congress and the pres that is responsible for a narrowly defined function and whose structure is intended to be protected from partisan politics

• NASA

Independent Regulatory Commission

an exec branch unit outside of cabinet departments, responstible for developing standards of behavior within specific industries

• FDA

Iron Triangle

3 way relationship between Congress, Bureaucracy, and interest groups

• create and implement public policy

Issue Networks

network of interest groups, congressional commitees, local gov, universitites, ect

• debate a particular issue

Merit System

personnel system where bureaucrats are hired based on skill, political neutrality, open competition

oversight

congress checks exec branch and bureaucracy to ensure that the congressional laws are being executed

Patronage system

heavy bias and chief exec officer can appoint whoever they want, doesnt matter if they are qualified

Pendleton Civil Service Act

replaced the spoils system(patronage) with the merit system

• requires exams

spoils system

patronage system

elected officials give their friends government jobs

• prominent before the Pendleton Act

Sunset Clause

• clause in legislation

• sets expiration date for an authorized program or policy unless congress reauthorizes the deadline

Sunshine Act

• fed law

• requires gov agencies to hold meetings in public and provide advance notice

• increases transparency and accountability

Sunshine Laws

• legislation that opens up gov functions + documents to the public

Whistleblower

bureaucrat or private party who discloses to the government mismanagement, faud, waste, corruption, ect