Module 2 Paper

Module 2: [STRUCTURE AND PERSPECTIVES OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION]

The Federal Bureaucracy

Administering the Government

Types of Administrative Organizations

Adapted from pages 376-378

The U.S. federal bureaucracy is organized along policy lines. One agency handles veteran’s affairs, another specializes in education, a third is responsible for agriculture, and so on. No two units are exactly alike.

Departments & Agencies

Most departments take one of five general forms: cabinet department, independent agency, regulatory agency, government corporation, or presidential commission. Below you will find details of each unit discussed in this segment. Hover over each box to reveal information on each agency or organization.

Cabinet Department Cabinet Department: Made up of 15 major administrative units (cabinet or executive) headed by a secretary with the responsibility of a major function of the federal government such as agriculture or justice. Exception Exception: Justice Department headed by Attorney General Independent Agencies Independent Agencies: Bureaucratic agencies similar to cabinet departments with a narrower scope of responsibility. Also appointed by the president and not a cabinet member. Regulatory Agencies Regulatory Agencies: Administrative units created when congress recognizes the importance of close and continuous regulation of economic activity (i.e.,Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)). Government Corporations Government Corporations: Similar to private corporations, governed by board of directors in which the director is appointed by the president with cabinet approval, receive federal funding to help pay operating expenses. (i.e., U.S. Postal Service). Presidential Commissions Presidential Commissions: Advisory organizations within the bureaucracy and headed by presidential appointed commissions.(i.e. Commission on Civil Rights).