The Federal Bureaucracy
Chapter 15
What is a bureaucracy?
• The people who handle the
day to day business for any
organization.
• We will focus on the federal
bureaucracy
3 Features of a Bureaucracy
**In order to be a bureaucracy you must meet
the following standards***
1. Hierarchical authority –a chain of command
2. Job specialization – each person (a
bureaucrat) has specific duties and
responsibilities.
3. Formalized rules – the bureaucracy follows
specific rules
The Federal Bureaucracy
• The federal bureaucracy is EVERYONE that
makes up the Federal Executive (Gov’t)
• The President heads the federal bureaucracy.
• In addition to the President the federal
bureaucracy is divided into 3 groups
• 1.Executive Office of the President (EOP)
– 2. The 15 Executive departments
– 3. Other independent agencies
1. Executive Office of the
President
• Often called the EOP – work with President
• Examples include -Office of management and
budget, National Security Council, Economic
advisors and more!
• White House Office (WHO)
• Contains the President’s most important staff
• Work in West Wing of White House
• Examples Chief of Staff, press secretary, the
President’s doctor, and legal advisors
2. Executive Departments
• 15 Departments Total – each
has dozens of agencies that
carryout our Nation’s laws
• The Heads (boss/leaders) of
the 15 Departments are called
THE CABINET
• They advise the President on
specific issues
The Executive Departments
1. Department of State – concerned with
foreign policy
2. Department of Treasury – manages the
money of the United States –
3. Department of Defense – handle issues
relating to the military
4. Department of Justice – Gives legal
advice to the president - enforces law
and administers justice
The Executive Departments
5. Department of the Interior – manages
federally owned land (national parks like
Yosemite National Park, or the Redwood
Forest)
6. Department of Agriculture – helps
farmers and protects food supply
7. Department of Commerce – monitors
trade; promotes economic growth of
the United States; Conducts the Census;
Grants Patents
The Executive Departments
8. Department of Labor – responsible for
wages, unemployment, and job safety
rules
9. Department of Health & Human
Services – protects the health and
general welfare of the American
people (Medicare; food and drug
safety)
The Executive Departments
10. Department of Housing and Urban
Development – handles issues of housing
and development of cities – financing
programs
11. Department of Transportation – manages
the interstate system, air travel, oil lines
12. Department of Energy – handles policy on
energy and nuclear safety
The Executive Departments
13. Department of Education – handles the
policy on the education of American
students- provides federal aid
14. Department of Veterans Affairs –
manages programs for veterans and the
families
15. Department of Homeland Security –
protects the United States from threats
from terrorists and other sources at our
borders
3. Independent Agencies
• Independent agency: additional
agencies created by Congress that are
outside of the Cabinet
• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Peace Corps
• Social Security Administration
• Federal Reserve System
Civil Service
• Civil service – made up of civilian workers who
perform the administrative work of the
government
• Originally operated under the spoils system–
giving jobs to political supporters and friends
• The Pendleton Act – helped to get rid of the
spoils system. Based hiring of civil service
workers on merit (or the quality of their work)
– Still the basis of hiring today.