Executive Branch & Bureaucracy Quiz – What you need to know! 

Before you freak out, notice how many of the terms define themselves (i.e., Treaties, Commander-in-Chief, Neutrality, Specialization, etc.).  As long as you understand what these words mean in the context of the Executive Branch and the bureaucracy, you’re golden! 

Here’s what you need to know about the Executive Branch 

• Explain how the president can implement a policy agenda 

• Explain how the president’s agenda can create tension and frequent confrontations with Congress 

• Explain how presidents have interpreted and justified their use of formal and informal powers 

• Explain how communication technology has changed the president’s relationship with the national constituency and the other branches 

Federalist #70 Policy Agenda & Initiatives Formal/Informal Powers 
State of the Union Bureaucratic Appointments Cabinet Members  
White House Staff Vetoes & Pocket Vetoes Domestic Policy  
Executive Orders Signing Statements Judicial Appointments  
Foreign Policy Commander-in-Chief War Powers Act (1973) 
Chief Diplomat Treaties Executive Agreements 
Ambassadors Bully Pulpit Power to Persuade  
Approval Ratings/Popularity Twenty-Second Amendment 

Here’s what you need to know about the Bureaucracy 

• Explain how the bureaucracy carries out the responsibilities of the federal government. 

• Explain how the federal bureaucracy uses delegated discretionary authority for rule making and implementation. 

• Explain how Congress uses its oversight power in its relationship with the executive branch. 

• Explain how the president ensures that executive branch agencies and departments carry out their responsibilities in concert with goals of the administration. 

• Explain the extent to which governmental branches can hold bureaucracy accountable given the competing interests of Congress, the president, and federal courts. 
   

Writing/Enforcing Regulations Issuing Fines Compliance Monitoring 
Testifying before Congress Political Patronage Civil Service 
Merit System Reforms Pendleton Act Hatch Act 
Professionalism Specialization Neutrality  
Policy Implementation Discretionary Authority Rule-Making Authority 
Committee Hearings Power of the Purse Executive Authorization 
Executive Appropriation Iron Triangles/Issue Networks 
Dept. of State Dept. of Treasury Dept. of Defense  
Dept. of Homeland Security Dept. of Transportation Dept. of Veterans Affairs  
Dept. of Education Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
Federal Elections Commission (FEC)* Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)*  
Federal Reserve Board* 
*Remember that these three are “Independent Regulatory Agencies” which means POTUS appoints members, the Senate confirms them, but it’s very difficult to remove them – you want each of these to be independent and free from political pressure (i.e. you don’t have to worry about POTUS firing you if you won’t lower interest rates right around election time) as they regulate elections, the stock market, and banking.