1. The Federal Bureaucracy

2. What is a Bureaucracy?
Bureaucracy is based on the principles of hierarchical authority, job specialization, and formal rules
A bureaucracy is a way of organizing people to do work

3. Major Elements
Nearly all of the bureaucracy of the federal Government resides in the Executive Branch of government
The Constitution gives little guidance about the structure of the federal bureaucracy

4. Major Elements
The bureaucracy is made up of three major groups of administrative agencies: the Executive Office of the President; the 15 Cabinet Departments; and the Independent Agencies

5. The Name Game
The term department is reserved for agencies of cabinet rank
The term agency is used to refer to any governmental body or, more particularly, to a major unit headed by a single administrator of near-cabinet status. The term administration is used in a similar way

6. The Name Game
The term commission is given to agencies charged with the regulation of business activities. Commissions are headed by varying numbers of top-ranking officers, or commissioners.
The terms corporation and authority are used for agencies that have a board and a manager and that conduct business-like activities.
These terms are not used consistently

7. Staff and Line
Staff agencies are those agencies that serve in a support capacity by furnishing advice and assistance in the management of an organization
Line agencies are those agencies that actually perform the tasks for which the organization exists

8. Executive Departments and Independent Agencies

9. The Cabinet
The head of each department is known as the Secretary, except for the Justice Department which is headed by the Attorney General
Department secretaries are appointed by the President with the approval of the Senate
Together, the department secretaries serve as the cabinet

10. 1789 1st Cabinet President Washington Up until Civil War
Picked his most loyal allies.
Alexander Hamilton (Sec. of Treasury)
Henry Knox (Sec. of War)
Later became Sec. of Defense
Up until Civil War
Cabinets were POTUS main advisory group.
Now, it’s the Presidential Staff.

11. The First Executive Departments: George Washington’s Presidency
Department of State—Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson
Department of the Treasury—Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton
Department of War—Secretary of Defense Henry Knox
Office of the Attorney General—Edmund Randolph-became the Department of Justice in 1870
Today there are fifteen departments.

12. SUCCESSION From oldest department to youngest...
Department of State
Department of the Treasury
Department of Defense
Department of Justice
Department of the Interior
Department of Agriculture
Department of Commerce
Department of Labor
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of Transportation
Department of Energy
Department of Education
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Homeland Security

13. Interesting Facts about Presidential Cabinets
George Washington’s top two advisors, Jefferson and Hamilton, disagreed so bitterly that political parties formed around these two men.
Andrew Jackson preferred a group of informal advisors known as the “Kitchen Cabinet.”
Abraham Lincoln once took a vote in which the seven members unanimously opposed him. He said, “Seven nays, one aye, the ayes have it.”
John F. Kennedy paid more attention to the advice of his brother, Robert, who served as Attorney General, than his formal cabinet.
Ronald Reagan held cabinet meetings an average of twice a week to stay informed.

14. Department of State Handles the foreign policy of the nation
Staffs embassies
Analyzes data about American interests in other nations
Speaks for the U.S. at the United Nations

15. Department of the Treasury
Serves as the financial division of the government
Manages public debt
Collects taxes
Manufactures coins and currency
Administers explosive and firearm laws
Regulates the production and distribution of alcohol and tobacco

16. Department of Justice Oversees the nation’s legal affairs
Supervises the agencies that serve as the nation’s police and prison system
Enforces antitrust laws

17. Department of Defense Protects the security of the United States
Oversees the armed forces through the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Until 1949 was called the Department of War

18. Department of Interior
Protects the public lands and natural resources throughout the U.S.
Oversees relationships with Native Americans

19. Department of Agriculture
Helps farmers improve incomes and production for home and abroad
Develops conservation programs
Safeguards the nation’s food supply

20. Department of Commerce
Promotes and protects the industrial and commercial parts of the economy
Carries out the census

21. Department of Labor Ensures safe working conditions
Oversees minimum wages and protects pensions
Collects and analyzes data on employment

22. Department of Health and Human Services
Oversees programs concerned with health and social services of the American people
Manages federal medicare and medicaid

23. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Works to assist communities in the nation
Ensures equal housing opportunities

24. Department of Transportation
Regulates America’s transportation needs, policies and planning.
Works to ensure safe, efficient, and convenient land and air transportation

25. Department of Energy Plans energy policy
Researches and develops energy technology

26. Department of Education
Co-ordinates federal assistance programs for public and private schools
Develops programs to help students with limited English proficiency and physically challenged students

27. Department of Veterans Affairs
Oversees medical care for veterans and families
Manages educational programs for veterans

28. Department of Homeland Security
Charged with protecting the security of America’s borders, shores, land and the safety of its people
Newest department created after September 11, 2001

29. Other Cabinet Rank Members
The Vice President
Head of the Office of Management and Budget
Head of the Environmental Protection Agency
White House chief of Staff
United States Trade Representative
Head of the Office of Nation Drug Control Policy

30. Steps in the Process of Appointing Members of the Cabinet
Presidential nomination
White House review
Paperwork financial disclosure
FBI investigation
Senate confirmation hearings
Senate vote (majority needed)

31. What are Independent Agencies?
An independent agency operates outside of the 15 executive departments in the cabinet
Four major reasons explain why these agencies exist outside of the cabinet department structure:
Some agencies are independent because their functions did not fit well into any of the existing departments

32. What are Independent Agencies?
Some are independent to protect their officials from political pressures
Office of Personnel Management
Social Security Administration
Federal Election Commission

33. What are Independent Agencies?
Some are independent to make them more responsive to interest-group pressures
Some are independent because of their peculiar and sensitive nature of their functions

34. What are Independent Agencies?
There are three types of independent agencies: independent executive agencies; independent regulatory commissions; and government corporations

35. Independent Executive Agencies
Most of the independent agencies fall into this category
Similar to departments, but without cabinet status
They are organized under a single administrator and have subunits that operate on a regional basis

36. Independent Executive Agencies
Today, there about 150 Independent Regulatory Agencies
Can you guys name some?

37. Independent Executive Agencies
Includes most of the Independent Agencies
Some are large, multi-million or even billion dollar budgets
GSA, NASA, EPA

38. Independent Executive Agencies
Others do important work just not as large
Civil Rights Commission
Peace Corps
Federal Election Commission

39. Independent Executive Agencies
Others act far from the limelight
American Battle Monuments Commission
Citizen’s Stamp Advisory Committee

40. Independent Regulatory Commissions
These commissions are created to regulate important aspects of the nation’s economy
Given a lot of independence to act as a watchdog over the federal government
The 10 independent regulatory commissions are largely not under the President’s control
The members of the commissions are appointed by the President and approved by the Senate for long, staggered terms

41. Independent Regulatory Commissions
These commissions must be made up from both parties, and members cannot be removed for political reasons
They have quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial powers
Used to clarify the laws they must enforce
Act as an arbitrator when questions arise

42. Independent Regulatory Commissions
These regulatory bodies possess all three powers – executive, legislative, and judicial – and are exceptions to the principle of separation of powers
Congress has delegated some of its responsibilities to these agencies to carry out the role congress should have

43. Government Corporations
These corporations are within the executive branch, and they are under the control of the President
Their top officers are appointed by the President with Senate confirmation; all of their employees are public officials

44. Government Corporations
Examples would be
the FDIC – Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Eximbank -- Export/Import Bank of the United States
The US Postal Service
National Railroad Passenger Corporation

45. Government Corporations
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
Tennessee Valley Authority

46. Government Corporations
Some controversy exists as to whether government corporations are compatible with the democratic government’s requirement that all public agencies be accountable to the public

47. The Civil Service

48. Development of the Civil Service
The Beginnings – During the early years of the republic, Presidents tried to fill federal jobs with qualified persons who shared their political views
The Spoils System – Andrew Jackson began the practice of giving government positions to the President’s political supporters

49. Development of the Civil Service
Jackson defended this policy by saying that any intelligent person can fill any public office
Jackson also maintained that there should be rotation in office so that more people can serve in public office
Long service in office, Jackson believed, would lead to tyranny and inefficiency

50. Development of the Civil Service
Finally, Jackson claimed that the people are entitled to have the party they elected to power in control of all government offices
The Movement to Reform – Widespread corruption and the assassination of James Garfield led to the Civil Service Act, or Pendleton Act, in 1883

51. Development of the Civil Service
The Pendleton Act
The Pendleton Act made merit the basis for hiring and promotion in federal jobs
The act also required that the federal work force would consist of men and women from every State, with the number from each State bearing a close relationship to that State’s share of the total population

52. Development of the Civil Service
The Pendleton Act (con)
Veterans received preferred ranking in federal hiring

53. Civil Service Today
A second goal of civil service reform has been to ensure that the best available people are included in the federal work force
Reorganization – President Carter succeeded in implementing reforms in the civil service system that were intended to make the system more efficient and responsive to merit