A bureaucracy is a large organization of appointed officials. The executive branch has power over the bureaucracy, however Congress is sovereign to both. Congress is able to oversee the bureaucracy in a number of ways. Firstly, Congress delegates jobs that agencies are responsible for, they rarely give a job to just one agency to spread the responsibility, although this often leads to contradictions. Secondly, Congress is able to influence the appointment of the agency heads. They do so by approving which senior bureaucrats that the President appoints. For other bureaucrats, Congress approval is not required, but Congress is often still influential by expressing it’s opinions. In addition, Congress determines the budgets for the agencies. No agency may spend money unless approved by the Congress, if funds are authorized, Congress must appropriate the money. Congress divides available money through the agencies, and is able to cut budgets from authorized levels. Congress also has the authority to hold hearings, publicly questioning agency abuses. Finally, if Congress wishes to set restrictions on the power of the agency, it may write new legislation, redefining restrictions and instructions. Congress is also able to oversee the power of the executive branch. The largest and most used method of Congressional oversight of the executive branch is its ability to question members of administration to ensure that they are enforcing and following the laws set by Congress. Hearings are often used when Congress believes that changes in policy need to be made before an agency comes before the committee to justify its budget. Congress also uses a formal oversight by means of legislators by allowing citizens to appeal adverse bureaucratic decisions to agencies. Through the Congressional Review Act of 1996, Congress may nullify agency regulations by joint resolutions of legislative disapproval, called congressional review. Congress may override a presidential veto. Congress is also authorized to declare war, where the president may only wage war. Congress may confirm presidential appointments and federal courts. Finally, the largest oversight over the executive branch is the ability to impeach the President for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors” as outlined in the constitution,
The subdivisions of the executive branch are set up in a very meticulous fashion and include different government agencies, commissions, and departments. The cabinet departments are extremely important in the operations of the executive branch and deal with many different issues throughout the government and the country. These cabinets are called for in the Constitution with Article II and are responsible for over half of the government's overall operations. Each department is headed by a secretary, each of which is appointed by the president. All of these secretaries combined make up most the president's formal cabinet. These secretaries are in charge of their respective departments and their operations, and the secretaries work directly for the president and the citizens who are affected by the department. All existing departments represent issues that are seen as issues of strong permanent public interest, like the most recent department, the Department of Homeland Security, which was added after the September 11th attacks. The departments are subdivided into different levels, but the most work is done at the regional level. Each department can also be further subdivided for geography, work processes, or the clientele. The Executive Office of the President is often referred to as a "mini-bureaucracy" as its members serve as the prime policy members for the president. Its most important members include the National Security Council, the Council of Economic Advisors, and the Offices of Management and Budget, the Vice President, and US Trade Representatives. These members are also appointed by the president and work along with congressional legislation at the time. The president is able to promote his own policies through this subdivision of the Executive Branch as he can set up offices at his own will. Independent Agencies are very similar to the Cabinet departments, but they have much more specific responsibilities. The heads of these agencies are also appointed by the president, but they are not Cabinet departments because they provide services that could not be fit into one department. For example, NASA is an Independent Agency because if it were put into the Department of Defense, it would seem as though the space frontier was only for the military purposes and not also space exploration. While they are considered "independent," the president still is very involved in these agencies. Government Corporations are the fourth subdivision of the Executive Branch. These corporations first came about during the Great Depression when Congress began creating businesses to help stimulate the economy. They involve the government in commercial activities that produce revenue, and in some places providing a more affordable option when private businesses are no longer profitable. One example of this was Amtrak, which the government set up to make sure that rail service was still accessible after many private businesses were unable to make money and stay in business. While there are so many subdivisions below these four divisions of the Executive Branch, they all serve the president and the people.
Dan has a great description of the differences between types of executive agencies.
Alex gives a perfect description of CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT. There is an AP FRQ that asks for these details on how Congress oversees the executive branch.
Although the cabinet and its departments, the Executive Office of the President, and a plethora independent agencies and government corporations all fall under the umbrella of the Executive in the government of the United States, there exist several significant differences between each. The ambiguity within the Constitution concerning the powers given to the Executive branch has allowed its slow but influential grasp for power in Washington, and now the Executive employs well over 3 million individuals. The Executive Office of President (EOP) includes nine divisions, most notably the Office of Management and Budget and the National Security Council. It functions as assistant to the president in furthering his own agenda, representing the branch to Congress and the Judiciary, and maintaining relations with the people of the U.S. Also, all personal and private secretaries to the president fall into this category. Roosevelt changed the nature of the EOP by creating several committees to further his New Deal, and then in 1939, Congress decreed via the Brownlow report the nine divisions how making up the EOP which work to serve the basic administration of the massive Executive branch. The cabinet, on the other hand, includes the president, the vice president, and the heads of the 15 departments, as well as the leaders of any one of EOP departments. This body works to offer expert advice to the president, but also to advocate the agendas of each department. The departments themselves handle the diverse and ever growing projects and programs of the Presidency, ranging from to testing the quality and health of our food and water by the Department of Agriculture to the border patrol by the Department of Homeland Security. Each of these Departments has a highly specialized function and oversees regulations and the enforcement of standards concerning their field. Other Executive bodies exist in three sections: regulatory agencies, independent executive agencies, and government corporations. Regulatory commissions control specific economic affairs such as the Securities and Exchange Commission. These agencies are mandated by Congress when they believe a certain economic exchange requires regulation and they can report to bipartisan committees, the President directly or remain strictly autonomous. Independent agencies are created by Congress when they believe a field needs freedom from the bureaucracy and from the influence of a specific Executive Department to function better. Examples include NASA and the General Services Administration. Government Corporations function as companies, with the power to buy and sell real estate, keep earnings, and sue and be sued. They are the most independent of all the Executive Brach bodies. Examples include the U.S. Postal Service and Amtrak. Congress does provide long term funding so they have a slight amount of control over the corporations. Taken from: Executive Branch - Divisions Of The Executive Branch
A bureaucracy is a large organization of appointed officials. The executive branch has power over the bureaucracy, however Congress is sovereign to both. Congress is able to oversee the bureaucracy in a number of ways. Firstly, Congress delegates jobs that agencies are responsible for, they rarely give a job to just one agency to spread the responsibility, although this often leads to contradictions. Secondly, Congress is able to influence the appointment of the agency heads. They do so by approving which senior bureaucrats that the President appoints. For other bureaucrats, Congress approval is not required, but Congress is often still influential by expressing it’s opinions. In addition, Congress determines the budgets for the agencies. No agency may spend money unless approved by the Congress, if funds are authorized, Congress must appropriate the money. Congress divides available money through the agencies, and is able to cut budgets from authorized levels. Congress also has the authority to hold hearings, publicly questioning agency abuses. Finally, if Congress wishes to set restrictions on the power of the agency, it may write new legislation, redefining restrictions and instructions. Congress is also able to oversee the power of the executive branch. The largest and most used method of Congressional oversight of the executive branch is its ability to question members of administration to ensure that they are enforcing and following the laws set by Congress. Hearings are often used when Congress believes that changes in policy need to be made before an agency comes before the committee to justify its budget. Congress also uses a formal oversight by means of legislators by allowing citizens to appeal adverse bureaucratic decisions to agencies. Through the Congressional Review Act of 1996, Congress may nullify agency regulations by joint resolutions of legislative disapproval, called congressional review. Congress may override a presidential veto. Congress is also authorized to declare war, where the president may only wage war. Congress may confirm presidential appointments and federal courts. Finally, the largest oversight over the executive branch is the ability to impeach the President for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors” as outlined in the constitution,
ReplyDeleteThe subdivisions of the executive branch are set up in a very meticulous fashion and include different government agencies, commissions, and departments.
ReplyDeleteThe cabinet departments are extremely important in the operations of the executive branch and deal with many different issues throughout the government and the country. These cabinets are called for in the Constitution with Article II and are responsible for over half of the government's overall operations. Each department is headed by a secretary, each of which is appointed by the president. All of these secretaries combined make up most the president's formal cabinet. These secretaries are in charge of their respective departments and their operations, and the secretaries work directly for the president and the citizens who are affected by the department. All existing departments represent issues that are seen as issues of strong permanent public interest, like the most recent department, the Department of Homeland Security, which was added after the September 11th attacks. The departments are subdivided into different levels, but the most work is done at the regional level. Each department can also be further subdivided for geography, work processes, or the clientele.
The Executive Office of the President is often referred to as a "mini-bureaucracy" as its members serve as the prime policy members for the president. Its most important members include the National Security Council, the Council of Economic Advisors, and the Offices of Management and Budget, the Vice President, and US Trade Representatives. These members are also appointed by the president and work along with congressional legislation at the time. The president is able to promote his own policies through this subdivision of the Executive Branch as he can set up offices at his own will.
Independent Agencies are very similar to the Cabinet departments, but they have much more specific responsibilities. The heads of these agencies are also appointed by the president, but they are not Cabinet departments because they provide services that could not be fit into one department. For example, NASA is an Independent Agency because if it were put into the Department of Defense, it would seem as though the space frontier was only for the military purposes and not also space exploration. While they are considered "independent," the president still is very involved in these agencies.
Government Corporations are the fourth subdivision of the Executive Branch. These corporations first came about during the Great Depression when Congress began creating businesses to help stimulate the economy. They involve the government in commercial activities that produce revenue, and in some places providing a more affordable option when private businesses are no longer profitable. One example of this was Amtrak, which the government set up to make sure that rail service was still accessible after many private businesses were unable to make money and stay in business.
While there are so many subdivisions below these four divisions of the Executive Branch, they all serve the president and the people.
Dan has a great description of the differences between types of executive agencies.
ReplyDeleteAlex gives a perfect description of CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT. There is an AP FRQ that asks for these details on how Congress oversees the executive branch.
Although the cabinet and its departments, the Executive Office of the President, and a plethora independent agencies and government corporations all fall under the umbrella of the Executive in the government of the United States, there exist several significant differences between each. The ambiguity within the Constitution concerning the powers given to the Executive branch has allowed its slow but influential grasp for power in Washington, and now the Executive employs well over 3 million individuals. The Executive Office of President (EOP) includes nine divisions, most notably the Office of Management and Budget and the National Security Council. It functions as assistant to the president in furthering his own agenda, representing the branch to Congress and the Judiciary, and maintaining relations with the people of the U.S. Also, all personal and private secretaries to the president fall into this category. Roosevelt changed the nature of the EOP by creating several committees to further his New Deal, and then in 1939, Congress decreed via the Brownlow report the nine divisions how making up the EOP which work to serve the basic administration of the massive Executive branch. The cabinet, on the other hand, includes the president, the vice president, and the heads of the 15 departments, as well as the leaders of any one of EOP departments. This body works to offer expert advice to the president, but also to advocate the agendas of each department. The departments themselves handle the diverse and ever growing projects and programs of the Presidency, ranging from to testing the quality and health of our food and water by the Department of Agriculture to the border patrol by the Department of Homeland Security. Each of these Departments has a highly specialized function and oversees regulations and the enforcement of standards concerning their field. Other Executive bodies exist in three sections: regulatory agencies, independent executive agencies, and government corporations. Regulatory commissions control specific economic affairs such as the Securities and Exchange Commission. These agencies are mandated by Congress when they believe a certain economic exchange requires regulation and they can report to bipartisan committees, the President directly or remain strictly autonomous. Independent agencies are created by Congress when they believe a field needs freedom from the bureaucracy and from the influence of a specific Executive Department to function better. Examples include NASA and the General Services Administration. Government Corporations function as companies, with the power to buy and sell real estate, keep earnings, and sue and be sued. They are the most independent of all the Executive Brach bodies. Examples include the U.S. Postal Service and Amtrak. Congress does provide long term funding so they have a slight amount of control over the corporations.
ReplyDeleteTaken from: Executive Branch - Divisions Of The Executive Branch