Exam 12: The Federal Bureaucracy and the Public Policy Process

When the Obama administration entered office in 2009,it reversed direction on many of the Bush administration's policies on issues such as global warming.

The Environmental Protection Agency,an independent stand-alone agency,is subject to less congressional and presidential oversight than the U.S.Department of Agriculture.

The __________ is the list of issues that the federal government pays attention to.

Subsidized housing for lower-income citizens is an example of __________ policy.

When the U.S.Department of Transportation stipulates how many hours truck drivers can be on the road per week,the department is creating a(n)__________.

How are cabinet secretaries similar to independent agency administrators?

Since World War II,corporate income taxes have fallen steadily.

You are a federal employee who has recently learned that a newly hired staff member in your agency may have been chosen based on criteria other than qualifications for the position.What body should you take this information to?

How does the president exercise control over the federal bureaucracy?

Distinguish between independent agencies and independent regulatory commissions.Be sure to provide examples of each.

Why is voting insufficient as a form of participation for citizens seeking to influence public policy?

The purpose of the __________ was to prohibit federal employees from engaging in partisan political activities.

The policy process does not vary greatly throughout the world other than in the level of influence citizens have on it.

Which law designates the steps that federal agencies must follow in issuing rules and regulations?

What did President Obama mean when he said the British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was due to the "cozy relationship" between a federal agency and the oil industry? What steps did the president take to avoid such disasters in the future?

How does Congress exercise control over agencies and departments in the federal bureaucracy?

__________ often uses the Government Accountability Office to investigate the policies and performance of agencies and departments in the federal bureaucracy.

A(n)__________ is a special kind of agency whose independence is protected by Congress so the agency is insulated from congressional and presidential control.

Federal policies that reduce benefits for all groups,often by imposing regulations or taxes that govern everyone,rich or poor,are called __________ policies.

The process of making public policy is best described as __________.