The Federal Bureaucracy

Chapter 15

What is a bureaucracy?

Bureaucracy is an administrative system in which agencies staffed largely by non-elected officials perform specific tasks in accordance with standard procedures.

Three Features of the U.S. Bureaucracy

• 1. Hierarchical authority – like a pyramid.• 2. Job specialization – specific

divisions of labor• 3. Formalized rules – follows

regulations & procedures.

•See Chart page 338.

The Fifteen Cabinet Departments

• The Cabinet is the informal advisory body brought together by the president to serve his needs.

• It is NOT specifically mentioned in the Constitution, but helps the president to execute the laws and carry out his Constitutional obligations.

The Original Four Departments

• Department of State• Department of the Treasury• Department of Defense (called the War

Department)• Department of Justice (called the office of the

Attorney General)

Department of State

• Issues passports, visas, travel warnings• Provides information on emergencies outside

the U.S.• Advises the President on foreign policy• Negotiates foreign policy • Represents the U.S. at the United Nations.

Department of the Treasury

• Collects taxes• Borrows money for the government• Coins and prints money• Enforces alcohol, tobacco, and firearms laws.

• Department of Defense – national security (Pentagon: Joint Chiefs, Army, Navy, Air force, Marines)

• Department of Justice – – enforces federal law– gives legal advice to the president– runs the U.S. court system and federal prisons

• Department of the Interior – manages public lands, national parks, wildlife refuges, hydroelectric power plants, Native American affairs, mining, and natural resources.

• Department of Agriculture – inspects food, manages school lunch and food stamp programs, helps farmers, manages national forests, promotes U.S. ag products overseas.

• Department of Commerce – international trade, economic growth, census, protects ocean and coastal resources, manages patents and trademarks (NOAA, NHC)

• Department of Labor – enforces work laws, promotes job training & childcare

• Department of Health & Human Services – healthcare programs, prevention & control of diseases, medicare & medicaid, enforces food & drug laws (CDC, FDA)

• Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) – low income housing, home financing, fair housing

• Department of Transportation – oversees highways, mass transit, air travel, railroads, pipelines, maritime laws

• Department of Energy – oversees energy technology, nuclear weapons research, hydroelectric power, operates energy facilities, regulates nuclear power plants

• Department of Education – distributes federal money to public schools, oversees educational research

• Department of Veterans Affairs – oversees benefits, pensions, and medical programs for veterans; maintains military cemeteries (VA hospitals)

Department of Homeland Security

• Created in 2002 in response to attacks of 9/11/2001.

• Mission is to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S., reduce the U.S.’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize damage from attacks.

• Also responds to natural disasters• Customs Service, ICE, Secret Service, FEMA,

Coast Guard