  Government Agencies- Agencies fall into 4 general types  Cabinet Departments  Government Corporations  Independent Executive Agencies  Independent Regulatory Commissions Who are the Bureaucrats?

  15 departments are major administrative units that have responsibility for conducting broad areas of government operation (line organizations)  Directly responsible to the president and for performing government functions (like printing money, raining troops)  60 percent of the Total Workforce  President theoretically has control over the cabinet departments since he is able to appoint or fire all top officials.  Leaders are Called Secretary  EXCEPT FOR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL  Leader of the Department of Justice  NOT AMERICA’S LAWYER  That is the Solicitor General Cabinet



  Not all government agencies are part of Cabinet departments  Usually have broad powers to provide public services that are either too expensive or too important to be left to private initiatives  Are not located within a department but report directly to the President.  President still appoints and directs heads of each agency  Example- the Environmental Protection Agency, Smithsonian Institution and the CIA. Independent Executive Agencies

  IRA are responsible for specific type of public policy. Their function is to implement rules and regulations in a particular sphere of action to protect public interest.  Administered independently of all three branches.  Set up because Congress felt it was unable to handle the complexities and technicalities required to carry out specific laws in the public’s interest.  Appointed by the president, with consent of the Senate.  FRB- Charged with governing banks  FCC- licensing radio and TV stations and regulating their programming  ***** Help protect the Consumer from businesses and industry*****  Some people think that these very agencies have been captured by the industries and firms they are suppose to regulate Independent Regulatory Commissions

Government Corporations A government agency that performs a service normally provided by the private sector and charges for their market service Has a board of directors and managers, but it does not have any stock holders. Examples- US Postal Service and AMTRAK Comsat- Lets you purchase Gov’t satellite use

 Making Agencies Accountable  President has authority to  Appoint and remove agency heads  Reorganize the bureaucracy  Make changes in budget proposals  Issue executive orders  Reduce an agency’s budget  Congress has the Authority to  Pass laws that alter an agency’s functions  Abolish existing programs  Investigate activities  Limit the use of funds  Write legislation to limit the Bureaucracy

  Created by Congress  Appointed by President  Funded by Congress  Governed by the president  Paid for by the taxpayer Who is the bureaucracy accountable too?

 By the People  Freedom of Information Act  Allowed citizens the right to inspect all government documents except intelligence reports