The Federal Bureaucracy

The Roots of Bureaucracy

Foreign Affairs (State), War (Defense), Treasury first departments

Growth in early 1800s with Post Office

Patronage and the spoils system become common

Civil War spawns another expansion

Pendleton Act is beginning of civil service system

Also known as merit system

Creation of independent regulatory commissions

Growth of the Bureaucracy

Modern Bureaucracy

More than 2.7 million civilian employees

Most (90%) are selected based on merit

Also have high-level appointees

Wide variety of skills represented

Less diverse than American population

Scattered throughout D.C. and regional offices

Growth of outside contractors

The Federal Bureaucracy TODAY• The New Deal DOUBLED the size of the federal work force, and

continued to expand during the Cold War years (once created, agencies rarely go away)

• Currently close to 4.3 million people work for the federal government– 2.7 million directly for exec. Branch, 1.6 mil for armed forces, and 64,000 judiciary

• 2,200 presidential appointments (jobs are often obtained through patronage)

• 15 executive departments, headed by presidential appointees

• 180 independent agencies, boards, and commissions whose heads are presidential appointees

Examples: EPA Environmental Protection AgencyNASA National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationCIA Central Intelligence AgencyUSAID U.S. Agency for International DevelopmentThe Peace Corps

• The are a number of government corporations directly serving the public

Examples: FDIC Federal Deposit Insurance CorporationUSPS United States Postal ServiceTVA Tennessee Valley Administration

The Civil Service System Today

• Applicant for federal jobs are evaluated on the basis of their experience and training

• Office of Personnel Management [OPM] administers recruitment, pay, retirement, and exams

• Government jobs are attractive because they offer many benefits:

- job security- competitive salaries- 13-26 days of paid

vacations- sound pensions

Civilian Employment

Government Employee Pay

The General Schedule (GS) is a worldwide pay system that covers more than 1.5 million employees.

The GS pay schedule has 15 grades and 10 steps in each grade covering more than 400 occupations. Pay varies by geographic location.

The law requires a two-part GS pay adjustment in January each year with pay adjustments based on surveys conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Based on legal requirements, BLS conducts locality pay surveys in 34 separate geographic areas, with survey data representing non-Federal salaries (including State and local) at distinct levels of work.

Since a distinct work-level to work-level pay comparison is required, beginning pay rates for GS jobs must be compared to beginning pay rates for non-Federal jobs at the same level of work, etc.

When OPM compared Federal pay with BLS data for non-Federal pay at the same levels of work, OPM found, for all locality pay areas, non-Federal pay was 26 percent ahead of Federal pay as of March 2011. (Pay gaps for other years can be found in the "Pay Disparities and Comparability Payments" sections of annual Pay Agent reports.)

Federal Workforce by Gender and Race

Federal Workforce by State

Formal Organization

Cabinet departments handle broad, lasting issues

Headed by secretaries

Government corporations act like businesses

Independent executive agencies handle services

Narrower than Cabinet department, independent

Independent regulatory commissions watch industry

Designed to be free from partisan pressure

Government Workers and Politics

Hatch Act sets first boundaries

Federal Employees Political Act is current standard

FEPA

Characteristics of Bureaucracy

Chain of command from top to bottom

Division of labor

Clear lines of authority

Goal orientation

Merit system

Productivity

How the Bureaucracy Works

Congress creates agencies

Main job is implementation of laws

Policy made in iron triangles or issue networks

Increasing use of interagency councils

An Iron Triangle

The Influence of Client Groups• Federal agencies have “client groups” that try to influence decisions• The close cooperation between congressional committees, client

groups, and a federal agency or department is referred to as…

“IRON TRIANGLES”

Congressional committeesEx: Armed Services Committee

Interest Group or OrganizationThe American Legion

Executive DepartmentEx: Dept of Veterans’ Affairs

Making Policy

Administrative discretion allows a lot of latitude

Rule-making is a quasi-legislative process

Formal procedure for making regulations

Administrative adjudication is quasi-judicial process

Used to settle disputes between two parties

Agency Accountability Often unclear who agencies should be accountable to

Civil servants are not directly accountable to American people

Presidents try to make the right appointments

Can also shape policy through executive orders

Congress can use oversight powers and funding

Police patrol v. fire alarm oversight

Judiciary can review regulations

Agency Accountability

Example W2

Historical Taxing Categories

Historical Spending Categories

Did you try the budget Challenge?

• http://www.federalbudgetchallenge.org/pages/overview

• What did you think?

Homework: More on the Executive Cabinets

• 15 Question Quiz next Class!

More on the Executive Departments[The Cabinet]

The US Constitution mentions nothing about a Cabinet of advisors. This tradition, started by George Washington, has evolved over time, expanding in size from 4 members to 15 since Washington’s presidency.

Selecting the Cabinet

Numerous factors are considered when selecting members of the cabinet.• Does their background experience suit their post?• Do they have high-level administrative experience?• Do they bring geographical balance to the cabinet?• Will they satisfy interest groups?• Do they bring ethnic, racial, or gender balance to the cabinet? [Cabinets have been very diverse since the Clinton Years… he wanted his Cabinet to “look like America.”]

The Executive Branch

The Role of the Cabinet• Cabinet secretaries are the heads of the 15 executive departments• The role of the Cabinet has always been determined by the President• Certain cabinet members form the “inner cabinet,” who can greatly

influence the president’s decisions on matters related to their departments’ areas of interest

• Secretary of State• Secretary of Defense• Secretary of Treasury • Attorney General

Department of State(1789)

• Responsible for the nation’s overall foreign policy

• Protects U.S. citizens abroad• Oversees embassies (and

staffs them)• Analyzes American interests in

other nations

Hillary Clinton,Secretary of State

Department of Defense(1789)

• Protects the security of the U.S.

• Oversees the armed forces and the Joint Chiefs of Staff

• Largest department in the Executive Branch with nearly 2 million employees

Robert Gates,Secretary of Defense

Treasury Department(1789)

• Manages the nation’s monetary resources

• The Mint manufactures coins• The Bureau of Printing &

Engraving produces paper money

• IRS collects taxes• ATF regulates production and

distribution of alcohol and tobacco and administers explosives and firearms laws

Timothy Geithner,Treasury Secretary

Department of the Interior(1849)

• Protects public lands and natural resources

• Operates hydroelectric power plants• Oversees relations with American

Indians; helps them manage their affairs• Oversees the mining of natural resources• National Park Service manages national

parks and monuments, historic sites, wildlife refuges, and recreational areas

Ken Salazar,Interior Secretary

Department of Justice(1870)

• Office of the Attorney General est. 1789• Oversees the nation’s legal affairs;

represents the U.S. in court• Provides legal advice to the President• Enforces anti-trust and

civil rights laws• FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)• DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency)• Operates federal prisons

Eric Holder,Attorney General

Department of Agriculture(1889)

• Helps farmers and ranchers improve their incomes and expand their markets

• Provides financial credits to farmers

• Develops conservation programs• Safeguards the nation’s food

supply

Tom Vilsack,USDA Secretary

Department of Commerce(1903)

• Promotes and protects American industry, technology, and business interests

• Issues patents and trademarks• Census Bureau conducts census

every 10 years

Gary Locke,Secretary of Commerce

Department of Labor(1913)

• Protects American workers by ensuring safe working conditions, safeguarding the minimum wage

• Bureau of Labor and Statistics analyzes data on employment, wages, and compensation

• Encourages cooperation between labor and management

• Administers unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation programs

Hilda Solis,Labor Secretary

Department of Housing andUrban Development (1965)

• Helps preserve the nation’s communities

• Ensures equal housing opportunities and fair housing laws

• Helps make mortgages available for more people to buy homes

• Operates public housing programs

Shaun DonovanHUD Secretary

Department of Transportation

(1966)

• Regulates all aspects of American transportation needs, policy development, and planning

• Regulates aviation, railroads, highways, waterways, mass transit, and oil and gas pipelines

Ray LaHood,DOT Secretary

Department of Energy(1977)

• Promotes production of renewable energy, fossil fuels, and nuclear energy

• Researches and develops energy technology• Conducts nuclear weapons research and

production• Transmits and sells hydroelectric power• Sets rate for interstate transmission of natural

gas and electricity

Steven Chu,Energy Secretary

Department of Health and Human Services (1979)

• Created in 1953 as part of Health, Welfare, and Education• Funds health care research programs• Social Security Administration aids seniors and welfare

recipients• Manages Medicare and Medicaid programs• FDA (Food and Drug Administration) ensures the safety

of food and drugs and approves new treatment of disease; enforces pure food and drug laws

• CDC (Center for Disease Control)• NIH (National Institutes of Health)

Kathleen Sebelius,HHS Secretary

Department of Education(1979)

• Coordinates federal assistance programs for public and private schools

• Conducts educational research• Oversees programs for LEP students

(ESL/HILT)• Oversees programs for students with

disabilities

Arne Duncan,Secretary of Education

Department of Veterans’ Affairs (1989)

• Administers hospitals and various educational programs to benefit veterans and their families

• Administers benefits and pensions to veterans of the armed forces

• Oversees military cemeteries

Gen. Eric Shinseki,VA Secretary

Department of Homeland Security (2002)

• Prevents, prepares for, and protects against terrorist attacks on American soil

• Oversees border and transportation security• Oversees emergency preparedness and response• Provides information analysis and infrastructure

protection

When created, independent agencies and organizations from other cabinet departments were transferred to Homeland Security:

- Secret Service from Treasury Dept- Coast Guard from Transportation Dept- INS from Justice Dept- FEMA

Janet Napolitano,Secretary of Homeland Security

Executive Office of the President (EOP )

Established in 1939, the EOP has grown rapidly because…

- Presidents keep adding new agencies to it

- Presidents want experts nearby to advise them about issues

- Huge federal programs require agencies to coordinate efforts of executive departments and agencies working together

Executive Office of the President (EOP )

Office of Management and Budget [OMB]- the largest EOP agency- prepares the national budget that the President sends to Congress each year

National Security Council [NSC]- advises the President on security matters- helps coordinate the nation’s military and foreign policy

Council of Economic Advisors- helps the President formulate the nation’s economic policy

Other EOP offices:Office of the Vice PresidentOffice of the US Trade RepresentativeOffice of national Drug Control PolicyOffice of Science and TechnologyCouncil on Environmental QualityOffice of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives

Ret. General James JonesNational Security Advisor

Executive Office of the President (EOP )

The White House Office- staff performs whatever duties are need by the President

- gathers information and provides advice on key issues

- ensures that Exec. Departments and agencies carry out directives from the President

- present the President’s views to the outside world

Rahm EmmanuelWhite House Chief of Staff

Robert GibbsPress Secretary

FEC

In 1975, Congress created the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to administer and enforce the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) - the statute that governs the financing of federal elections.

The duties of the FEC, which is an independent regulatory agency, are to disclose campaign finance information, to enforce the provisions of the law such as the limits and prohibitions on contributions, and to oversee the public funding of Presidential elections.

US Trade RepresentativeThe Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade, commodity, and direct investment policy, and overseeing negotiations with other countries.

The head of USTR is the U.S. Trade Representative, a Cabinet member who serves as the president’s principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on trade issues.

USTR provides trade policy leadership and negotiating expertise promoting the administrations trade policy to open markets throughout the world to create new opportunities and higher living standards for families, farmers, manufacturers, workers, consumers, and businesses.

How the Bureaucracy Influences Public Policy

• Carries out policy decisions made by the President and Congress

• Often determines what the law means by the rules and regulations it issues

• Shapes public policy by helping Congress draft new laws or by providing ideas for new legislation

• Supplies advice and information to top decision-makers