1. Uzma Alam
The Bureaucracy

2. Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is a large organization composed of appointed officials in which authority is divided among several manager

4. Three aspects of our constitutional system and political traditions give to the bureaucracy a distinctive character
Both the president and Congress exercise authority over the bureaucracy.
Many agencies work with other organizations at other levels of the government.
The US government regulates privately owned enterprises to a degree not found in many other countries

5. The Growth of the Bureaucracy
In the first Congress, in 1789, James Madison introduced a bill to create a Department of State to assist the new secretary of state. People appointed to this department were to be nominated by the president and approved by the Senate, but could be removed by the president only.
Grew after the Civil war with industrialization

6. Congress reserve the right to appropriate money, to investigate the administration, and the shape the laws that would be executed by that administration

7. Activist of Agencies
Few new federal employees since 1960 but many more private contract employees and state/local government employees.
Congress more power over subsidies to groups (e.g. farmers, veterans); grants to states; regulations of schools, health, etc.

8. Bureaucrats There are employees of agencies or bureaus
They cant be fired for political reason
They are called “civil servants”
They represent the cross section of American society.
Agencies are dominated by lifetime bureaucrats who have worked for no other agency

9. Agencies often seek alliances with congressional committees or interest groups
Issue networks: groups that regularly debate government policy on certain issues – often partisan and contentious

10. Congressional Oversight
Forms of congressional supervision
No agencies can exist without congressional approval ( agencies are created by the congress)
No money can be spent unless congress has first authorized it
Even funds that have been authorized cannot be spent unless they are also appropriated

11. The Appropriations Committee and legislative committees
Appropriations Committee most powerful
Most expenditure recommendations are approved by House
Tends to recommend amount lower than agency request
Legislative committees are important when
A law is first passed
An agency is first created

12. Reforming the Bureaucracy
There are five frequently mentioned problems with the bureaucracy
Red tape--complex and sometimes conflicting rules
Conflict--agencies work at cross-purposes
Duplication--two or more agencies seem to do the same thing
Imperialism--tendency of agencies to grow, irrespective of benefits and costs of programs
Waste--spending more than is necessary to buy some product or service

13. Numerous attempts to make bureaucracy work better for less money
National Performance Review (NPR) in 1993 designed to reinvent government