Chapter 7: The Bureaucracy

Appropriations

the amounts of money approved by Congress in statutes (bills) that each unit or agency of government can spend

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

government agency created by the Pendleton Act of 1883 to fill federal jobs on the basis of merit

Civil Service Reform Act of 1978

law that replaced the Civil Service Commission with the Office of Personnel Management and the Merit Systems Protection Board. These agencies are responsible for enforcing existing civil service laws, coordinating the testing of applicants, setting up pay scales, and appointing people to federal jobs.

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).

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

Discretionary Authority

The ability of a bureaucracy to choose courses of action and make policies not spelled out in advance by laws.

Excepted Service

Provision for appointing federal offices without going through the competitive service.

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

The arm of the Justice Department that investigates violations of federal law, gathers crime statistics, runs a comprehensive crime laboratory, and helps train local law enforcement officers.

Freedom of Information Act (1966)

The Act defines agency records subject to disclosure, outlines mandatory disclosure procedures and grants nine exemptions to the statute

Hatch Act (1939)

a congressional law that forbade government officials from participating in partisan politics and protected government employees from being fired on partisan grounds; it was revised in 1993 to be less restrictive

Iron Triangle

an informal association of federal agency, congressional committee, and interest group that is said to have heavy influence over policy making.

issue network

A network of people in Washington, D.C.-based 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

a system of employment based on qualifications, test scores, and ability, rather than party loyalty

National Performance Review (NPR)

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

Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

Regularly review policies of the executive that have a significant effect on the economy, public health, and other major aspects.

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

One of the key inducements used by party machines. A patronage job, promotion, or contract is one that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone.

Pendelton Civil Service Act

Standardized an exam for federal employees so that people were awarded jobs on merit rather than political affiliations; also made it illegal to remove federal employees without just cause.

red tape

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

Senior Executive Service

the very top level of the bureaucracy.

Spoils System

A system of public employment based on rewarding party loyalists and friends.

Sunshine Act

a congressional act requiring federal agencies to hold well-announced public hearings and allowing citizens access to agency officials and a stronger voice in bureaucratic proceedings

Whistleblower Protection Act

1989 law that protects federal employees from being punished for reporting government/agency misconduct.

Bureaucracy

A system of managing government through departments run by appointed officials

regulation

the use of governmental authority to control or change some practice in the private sector

Deregulation

A policy promoting cutbacks in the amount of Federal regulation in specific areas of economic activity.

Fragmentation

a situation in which responsibility for a policy area is dispersed among several units within the bureaucracy, making the coordination of policies both time-consuming and difficult

bureaucratic discretion

the ability of public employees to make decisions interpreting law and administrative regulations

Max Weber

Invented classic conception of bureaucracy. Stressed it was a "rational" way for a modern society to conduct its business. Felt a bureaucracy depended upon certain elements, including a hierarchial authority structure, task specialization, and extensive rules, which allow similar cases to be handled in similar ways.

AMTRAK

The government-funded passenger rail service that operates in the United States. A government corporation.

Amtrak and the United States Postal Service are examples of

Government Agencies