Het Bhattji, Kelsey Cole, Chloe
Foege, Matthew Irby, and Timmy
Wood
What is Congressional Oversight?
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Refers to the oversight used by
Congress over the Executive Branch
(including the numerous federal
agencies).
Congress reviews, monitors, and
supervises federal agencies, programs,
activities, etc.
Congress exercises this power largely
through its Congressional Committee
System
Congressional Oversight, Pt. 2
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Oversight occurs in many different
Congressional contexts: authorization,
investigation, appropriation, etc.
Congress receives this overview from
the “implied powers” stated in the
Constitution, public laws, and House
and Senate rules.
It is a part of the check and balances
system.
Examples of Effective
Congressional Oversight?
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Congress possesses the “power of the
purse”, which can be effective in keeping
bureaucracies from doing things that
Congress doesn't like; cutting off funds
from certain rebellious bureaucracies. It
also funds toward federal programs.
The Congress also controls the jurisdiction
of the bureaucracies through legislation.
The Congress limits the abilities of the
bureaucracies, so they don't become
malicious and it limits their power as a
bureaucracy overall.
Examples of Ineffective
Congressional Oversight?
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1973 Rehabilitation Act~ This great waste of money
and resources barred discrimination against people
with disabilities in any program receiving Federal aid;
however, Congress was too vague with this Act. Due
to the lack of specification in this Act, every city bus
thought it meant that they all had to be wheelchair
accessible. Therefore, all city buses installed a
handicap lift.
1984 Grace Commission~ Revealed excessive
overspending by the Federal Government for
common everyday items. This resulted in financial
waste and is caused by little Congressional incentive
to keep costs down, because money saved goes
back into the Treasury, NOT the agency.
Congressional Oversight in Action
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=UPFUzkQ2QkI
WORKS CIIIIIIIIITED
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http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Two_specific_meth
ods_congress_uses_to_exercise_effective_ov
ersight_of_federal_bureaucracy#ixzz1Hddbhm
Qo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_ove
rsight
American Government, James Q. Wilson and
John J. DiIlulio, Jr.
http://download.101com.com/pub/fcw/media/ht
docs/ui/st_images/cartoon_02_18_08.jpg
YOOOTOOOB (YouTube, in English)