Chapter 14 The Bureaucracy The federal bureaucracy enables the president to implement laws passed by congress The federal bureaucracy has grown considerably since the founding and especially since the Great Depression The federal bureaucracy can be a powerful force but its powers are limited Americans continually seek ways to reform the bureaucracy The executive departments agencies bureaus and offices are collectively known as the federal bureaucracy Bureaucracy refers to a set of structures and procedures used by government to administer policies and programs Bureaucrat employ in a bureaucracy Functions of Bureaucracy 1 Allows an organization to operate efficiently by dividing labor among employees who are experts at performing specific tasks 2 Allows processes to be standardized so that products and services can be provided with consistency transparency and with fairness at large scales 15 executive departments with jurisdictions that largely mirror the jurisdictions of congressional committees o Each is headed by a presidential appointee who must be confirmed by the senate justice o They are referred to as cabinet secretaries besides department of An independent agency is an organization set up by congress outside of the cabinet department structure o Carry out important government functions Independent regulatory commissions are also part of the executive branch and are responsible to congress Government corporations which provide a public service Ex U S postal service 13 entities make up the executive office of the president Executive Department House Authorizing Committee House Appropriating Committee Department of Agriculture Committee on Agriculture Department of Commerce Committee on Energy and Commerce Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce Justice and Science Department of Defense Committee on Armed Services Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense Department of Homeland Security Committee on Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Department of the Interior Committee on Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior and Environment Department of Transportation Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation Housing and Urban Development Executive departments generally correspond to congressional committees Issue network the relationship between a clientele oriented department the clientele it serves and the congressional committee sharing jurisdiction with the department Iron triangle the issue network develops into a powerful alliance between three It can result in policies and rules that benefit a narrow segment of the population Three actors involved serve one another in exchange for information political support and favors The expansion of the federal bureaucracy during this period was related to a practice called the spoils system of the patronage system o An informal practice in which a political party would award government positions to its supporters in exchange for their continued support The progressive era 1880 1920 ushered a period of expanding government regulation In the end of the progressive era legitimized the role of the federal bureaucracy as chief regulator of behavior in the areas of commerce and labor Collapse of the global market economy that began on October 24 1929 The great depression
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