MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Location: file:///C:/26451A74/page24.htm Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8"

R Overseeing F= ederal Bureaucracy

Thu= rsday, March 12, 2009

7:3= 8 PM

Congress must = also oversee Executive Branch

More important= as it delegates more to executive branch

 

Not very well equipped for this

 

General Accoun= ting Office (GAO) mainly

 

Can also hold hearings

But also focus on minor, unimportant things

And neglect broader policy questions

And scheduling conflicts may mean member not focused on hearings

 

Although very embarrassing under the TV cameras

Agencies spend a lot of time preparing for it

 

But often are for when oversight has failed

To make it seem like they are doing something

 

But they often fail to prevent the issues and weaken oversight

Often put campaign contributions and jobs over oversight

 

Also oversight of financials is fragmented to many committees

 

Can also reque= st reports

Can also talk informally

 

But few incent= ives to do any real oversight

 

Primary means = of oversight is controlling the budget

Moved to short term authorizations in the 1970s

Members use this power to get things for their constituents

 

MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Location: file:///C:/26451A74/page24.htm Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/html; charset="utf-8"

R Overseeing F= ederal Bureaucracy

Thu= rsday, March 12, 2009

7:3= 8 PM

Congress must = also oversee Executive Branch

More important= as it delegates more to executive branch

 

Not very well equipped for this

 

General Accoun= ting Office (GAO) mainly

 

Can also hold hearings

But also focus on minor, unimportant things

And neglect broader policy questions

And scheduling conflicts may mean member not focused on hearings

 

Although very embarrassing under the TV cameras

Agencies spend a lot of time preparing for it

 

But often are for when oversight has failed

To make it seem like they are doing something

 

But they often fail to prevent the issues and weaken oversight

Often put campaign contributions and jobs over oversight

 

Also oversight of financials is fragmented to many committees

 

Can also reque= st reports

Can also talk informally

 

But few incent= ives to do any real oversight

 

Primary means = of oversight is controlling the budget

Moved to short term authorizations in the 1970s

Members use this power to get things for their constituents