AP Government and Politics-Chapter 7 The Bureaucracy

appropriations

The passage, by Congress, of a spending bill, specifying the amount of authorized funds that actually will be allocated for an agency's use.

authorization of spending

A formal declaration by a legislative committee that a certain amount of funding may be available to an agency. Some authorizations terminate in a year; others are renewable automatically without further congressional action.

Civil Service Commission

Bipartisan, created by the Pendleton Civil Service Act to control the merit system

Civil Service Reform Act (1978)

Recognized that many high level positions in the civil service have important policy making responsibilities and that the president and his cabinet officers ought to have more flexibility in recruiting, assigning, and paying such people.

committee clearance

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

competitive service

The government office to which people are appointed on the grounds of merit as ascertained by a written examination or by having met certain selection criteria (such as training, educational attainments, or prior experience).

discretionary authority

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

excepted service

Appointment of officials not based on the criteria specified by OPM.

FBI

The principal investigative unit of the U.S. department of justice (DOJ). It gathers and reports facts, compiles evidence, and locates witnesses in legal matters in which the United States is or may be a party in interest. In addition, it assists both U.S. and International Law enforcement agencies in crime investigation and personnel training.

Federal Elections Commission (FEC)

A six-member bipartisan agency created by the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974. The Federal Election Commission administers and enforces campaign finance laws.

Freedom of Information of Act (1966)

A law passed in 1966 that requires federal executive branch and regulatory agencies to make information available to journalists, scholars, and the public unless it falls into one of several confidential categories.

Hatch Act (1939)

Prohibits federal employees from engaging in certain political activities (running partisan elections, making or soliciting political contributions, influencing elections, running for office as a member of a political party, etc...) Allow most federal employees to take an active part in partisan political management and partisan political campaigns.

iron triangles

A close relationship between an agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group.

issue networks

A network of people in Washington DC seen in interest groups, on congressional staffs, in universities and think tanks, and in the mass media, who regularly discuss and advocate public policies

legislative veto

The authority of Congress to block a presidential action after it has taken place. The Supreme Court has held that Congress does not have this power

merit system

Hiring people into government jobs on the basis of their qualifications, rather than patronage.

National Performance Review (NPR)

The plan to reinvent government led by VP Al Gore; make it easier for pres and cabinet secretaries to run bureaucracy; efficiency accountability and consistent policies.

Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

The office in charge of hiring for most agencies of the federal government, using elaborate rules in the process.

patronage

Granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support

Pendleton Civil Service Act

Eliminated the spoils system of patronage in selection for government jobs. Set up an exam-based merit system for qualified candidates.

red tape

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

Senior Executive Service

Established by Congress in 1978 as a flexible, mobile corps of senior career executives who work closely with presidential appointees to manage government.

spoils system

The practice of rewarding supporters with government jobs. Andrew Jackson made this practice famous for the way he did it on a wide scale

Sunshine Act (1976)

Requires that most government meetings be conducted in public and that notice of such meetings must be posted advance

Whistleblower Protection Act (1989)

Created the Office of Special Counsel, charged with investigating complaints from bureaucrats that that they were punished after reporting to Congress about waste, fraud, or abuse in their agencies.

Compliance Monitoring

Activities undertaken to establish whether a process or procedure is carried out in conformance with relevant external requirements, whether set through legislation, regulations, or directions

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs

a unit of the Office of Management and Budget that sets federal policy on statistics and reviews draft rules before publication