Chapter 9 Key Terms

1) Administrative Adjudication
A quasi-judicial process in which a bureaucratic agency settles disputes between
2 parties in a manner similar to the way courts resolve disputes
2) Administrative Discretion
The ability of bureaucrats to make choices concerning the best way to implement
congressional intentions
3) Bureaucracy
Set of complex hierarchical departments agencies, commissions, and their staffs
that exist to help a chief executive officer carry out his or her duty to enforce the
law
4) Civil Service System
The system created by civil service laws by which many appointments to the
federal bureaucracy were made
5) Departments
Major administrative units with responsibility for a broad area of government
operations
Departmental status usually indicates a permanent national interest
in that particular governmental function, such as defense,
commerce, or agriculture.
6) Executive Order
A rule or regulation issued by the President that has the effect of the law that
must be registered in the Federal Register
7) Federal Employees Political Activities Act
1993 liberalization of the Hatch Act that allowed federal employees to run for
office in nonpartisan elections and donate money to in partisan elections
8) Government Corporation
A Congress established business that was able to perform functions that can be
provided by private business
9) Hatch Act
The law enacted in 1939 that prohibited civil servants from taking activist roles in
partisan campaigns. It also prohibited federal employees from making political
contributions, working for a particular political party, or campaigning for a
particular candidate.
10) Implementation
The process where a law or policy is put into use through the bureaucracy
11) Independent Executive Agency
Governmental unit that closely resembles a cabinet department, but has a
narrower area of responsibility and isnt part of any cabinet department
12) Independent Regulatory Commission
An agency created by Congress that is generally concerned with a specific
aspect of the economy
13) Interagency Councils
Working groups that were created to facilitate coordination of policy making and
implementation across many government agencies
14) Iron Triangles
The relationships and patterns of interaction that occur among an agency,
interest groups, and congressional committees/ subcommittees
15) Issue Networks
Loose and informal relationships that exist among many actors who have worked
in broad policy areas
16) Merit System
The system where federal civil service jobs are classified into grades or levels,
positions are appointed by how well examinations are performed
17) Patronage
When friends, family, and political allies are given jobs, grants, or special favors
in return for support
18) Pendleton Act
Responsible for creating the Civil Service Commission which measured a
particular merit system, it declared that federal political appointees wouldnt be
required to contribute to a certain political party
19) Regulations
Rules that govern the operation of a particular program of the government that
contain the force of the law
20) Rule Making
A process that follows the characteristics of a legislative act
21) Spoils System
When one political party leaves office, their entire staff goes with them
22) Appropriation
In the terms of law, appropriation is the act of setting something apart, so then its
excluded from being used for other things
23) Discretionary Authority
The ability to choose a particular course of action and to be able to make policies
that arent already backed by laws in advance
24) Freedom of Information Act
Allows the public to request records from and federal agency
25) Open Meeting Law
Requires that most public meetings be held in the public eye
26) National Environmental Policy Act
A 1970 law that promotes the enhancement of the environment and established
the Presidents Council on Environmental Quality
27) Congressional Oversight
Oversight by Congress over the Executive Branch and its numerous agencies
28) Red Tape
Refers to conformity to rules that are considered redundant and that also
prevents action and decision making
29) Federal Trust Funds
An accounting mechanism used by the federal government, to track money that
is going to a specific fund, like Social Security and Medicare
30) Whistleblower Protection Act
The Act protects federal government employees from retaliatory actions after
disclosing information about illegal activities occurring within the government