Exploring Congressional Oversight in AP Government

The video discusses how Congress and the President hold the bureaucracy accountable. Congress uses oversight and budget control, while the President can issue executive orders. These mechanisms ensure that bureaucratic agencies align with legislative and executive goals, despite their discretionary power.

What are the two main tools Congress uses to ensure bureaucratic accountability?

• Impeachment and treaties

• Congressional oversight and the power of the purse

• Executive orders and public opinion

• Legislative vetoes and judicial review

What is the purpose of congressional oversight?

• To investigate and hold hearings on agency activities

• To negotiate international treaties

• To draft new legislation

• To appoint agency heads

How often might Congress require agency heads to testify?

• Biennially

• Only when a scandal occurs

• Annually or more frequently

• Monthly

What can Congress do if it's not satisfied with an agency's performance?

• Impeach the agency head

• Cut the agency's budget

• Directly manage the agency

• Pass a new law to override the agency's actions

What incentive do agencies have to align with Congress's wishes?

• Positive media coverage

• Public support

• Increased autonomy

• Avoidance of budget cuts

What role does the power of the purse play in accountability?

• It is used to pay for congressional investigations

• It funds presidential campaigns

• It allows Congress to increase an agency's budget as a reward

• It enables Congress to adjust an agency's budget based on performance

What is an extreme measure Congress can take against an agency?

• Publicly criticize the agency

• Increase the agency's budget

• Force the agency to merge with another

• Eliminate the agency altogether

How did President Trump influence the EPA?

• By decreasing its budget

• By increasing its regulatory role

• By expanding its jurisdiction

• By altering its goals towards deregulation

Why can the President influence the bureaucracy?

• Because the President has legislative authority

• Because the President is the head of the executive branch

• Because the President is elected by the people

• Because the President is advised by the bureaucracy

How does the President's role as head of the executive branch empower them over the bureaucracy?

• By allowing them to legislate

• By providing them a platform to criticize the bureaucracy

• By enabling them to issue executive orders

• By giving them judicial authority