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The Federal Bureaucracy ChapterChapter 1010 The Federal Bureaucracy Why It’s Important They Have Your Number As an American citizen you deal with several government bureaus and agencies. How is the federal bureaucracy organized to serve you and millions of other people? This chapter will help you answer that question. To find out how the federal bureaucracy operates to help Americans, view the Democracy in Action Chapter 10 video lesson: The Federal Bureaucracy # GOVERNMENT Chapter Overview Visit the United States Government: Democracy in Action Web site at gov.glencoe.com and click on Chapter 10–Overview to preview chapter information. 274 Section 1 Bureaucratic Organization Reader’s Guide undreds of agencies like the FAA help to make up the federal bureaucracy. Key Terms Most of these departments and agen- cies are part of the executive branch bureaucrat, embassy, government corporation, Hthat carries out the laws passed by Congress. The deregulate, procurement people who work for these organizations are called Find Out bureaucrats, or civil servants. I What is the general organizational structure of The federal bureaucracy is organized into de- the 14 cabinet level departments? partments, agencies, boards, commissions, corpo- rations, and advisory committees. Most of these I How are independent government agencies different from regulatory commissions? organizations are responsible to the president, al- though some of them report to Congress. Acts of Understanding Concepts Congress created almost all of them. Public Policy How does government bureaucracy The Constitution provides indirectly for the serve the executive branch in carrying out the will bureaucracy. Article II, Section 2, states that: of the people’s representatives? He [the president] may require the Opin- “ion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices,... Disaster Causes Tension —The Constitution OVEMBER 4, 1996 ” WASHINGTON, D.C., N Article II also gives the president the power he May 11 crash of to appoint the heads of those departments. Ta ValuJet airliner Thus, the Founders anticipated the need has strained relations for creating federal agencies that would carry between two federal on the day-to-day business of government. At agencies responsible for the same time they would probably be shocked air safety. The National by the size the federal bureaucracy has grown Transportation Safety to today. Board (NTSB) makes In the early years of the Republic, the feder- safety recommendations, NTSB gains influence al bureaucracy was quite small. When Jefferson and the Federal Aviation became president in 1801, the federal govern- Agency (FAA) decides whether to implement them. Despite reports of safe- ment employed only 2,120 people. These ty violations after the crash, the FAA declared Valu- employees were mainly commissioners of Na- Jet to be a safe airline. This was a public relations tive American affairs, postmasters, customs disaster for the FAA, according to aviation experts. It collectors, tax collectors, marshalls, and clerks. also served to increase the NTSB’s influence with Today, nearly 3 million civilians work for Congress. “The FAA can no longer easily ignore the the federal government. Federal agencies NTSB,” observed one airline executive. are located in more than 440,000 buildings scattered across the nation and around the world. Aerial view of Washington, D.C. L CHAPTER 10: THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY 275 The Cabinet Departments The top officials in each department—the secre- taries, agency directors, deputy directors, and their The 14 cabinet departments are a major assistants—set overall department policy. These part of the federal bureaucracy. One of top leaders rely on ideas and information from ca- President Washington’s first acts in 1789 was to ask reer officials who are specialists and business man- Congress to create the Departments of Treasury, agers in the department. Often, these career State, and War and the office of attorney general. workers, who frequently have many years of expe- Since 1789, 10 additional departments have been rience, do the research to provide the alternatives created. A secretary who is a member of the presi- from which the top leaders choose. dent’s cabinet heads each of the departments in the executive branch. Departments usually have a sec- Department of State The secretary of state is ond in command, called the deputy secretary or one of the president’s most trusted advisers. The under secretary. In addition, departments have as- Department of State is responsible for the overall sistant secretaries. The president appoints all these foreign policy of the United States. The agency also officials. protects the rights of United States citizens travel- The next level under these top officials in- ing in foreign countries. It staffs embassies, or of- cludes the directors of the major units that make fices of ambassadors in foreign countries, analyzes up the cabinet department, along with their assis- data about American interests in other countries, tants. These units have various names, including and speaks for the United States in the United bureau, agency, office, administration, or division. Nations. Congressional Quarterly’s Government at a Glance The Cabinet Departments Departments Year Established Originally the Department of Defense Department 1789 War, it became the Defense Department in 1949 State Department 1789 Treasury Department 1789 Originally named the Interior Department 1849 Department of Foreign Affairs Justice Department 1870 Agriculture Department 1889 Before 1870 the attorney Commerce Department 1903 general was a cabinet officer but Labor Department 1913 not head of the department Housing and Urban Development Department 1965 Transportation Department 1966 Originally a bureau within the Energy Department 1977 Department of Commerce Health and Human Services Department 1979 Education Department 1979 Originally the Health, Education, Veterans Affairs Department 1989 and Welfare Department in 1953, it was split into Health Source: Nelson, ed. The Presidency A to Z (Washington, D.C.: CQ Inc., 1992). and Education Departments in 1979 Critical Thinking Presidents throughout American history have given their cabinet members varying degrees of authority. Why might the president call on the secretary of transportation to deal with drug smuggling along the Pacific Coast? 276 CHAPTER 10: THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY Department of the Treasury Managing the monetary resources of the United States is the primary responsibility of the Department of the Treasury. The Bureau of the Mint manufactures coins. The Bureau of Printing and Engraving pro- duces paper money. The Treasury Department also The Bobby Kennedy Law A 1967 law pre- oversees a variety of other duties. One branch— vents a president from giving a government the Internal Revenue Service—collects taxes. The job to a family member. The act is called the United States Secret Service provides protection “Bobby Kennedy law” because it is intended for the president, vice president, and other offi- to prevent a repetition of the situation in 1961 cials. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and when President John Kennedy appointed his Firearms administers explosives and firearm laws brother Robert attorney gener- and regulates the production and distribution of alcohol and tobacco. al of the United States. The law did not prohibit Bill Department of the Interior To protect pub- Clinton from appointing lic lands and natural resources throughout the na- his wife, Hillary Rodham tion and to oversee relations with Native Clinton, as head of his Americans, Congress established the Department health-care reform task of the Interior in 1849. The Bureau of Mines helps force in 1993. There was no oversee the mining of natural resources. The Na- challenge to the appointment, presumably tional Park Service manages national monuments, historic sites, recreational areas, and national because it was unpaid and advisory only. parks. Department of Agriculture Created to help congressional district boundaries. The Patent and farmers improve their incomes and expand their Trademark Office issues patents for new inven- markets, the Department of Agriculture develops tions and registers trademarks. The National Insti- conservation programs and provides financial tute of Standards and Technology provides credit to farmers. It also safeguards the nation’s uniform standards for weights and measurements. food supply. Department of Labor Congress created the Department of Justice Congress established Department of Labor in 1913. Charged with pro- the office of attorney general in 1789 to oversee the tecting American workers, the department ensures nation’s legal affairs. The Department of Justice safe working conditions, safeguards a minimum was created in 1870. Among its well-known agen- wage, and protects pension rights. The Bureau of cies are the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Labor Statistics analyzes data on employment, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), wages, and compensation. The Office of the Amer- and the Drug Enforcement Administration ican Workplace encourages cooperation between (DEA). The Antitrust Division of the Department labor and management. of Justice enforces antitrust laws. The Civil Rights Division helps enforce civil rights legislation. Department of Defense First called the De- partment of War and then the United States Mili- Department of Commerce
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