
How does Congress exercise oversight of the federal bureaucracy?īoth Congress and the president exercise direct oversight over the bureaucracy by holding hearings, making appointments, and setting budget allowances.

Congress exercises this power largely through its congressional committee system. What is congressional oversight and how does Congress exercise its oversight power?Ĭongressional oversight refers to the review, monitoring, and supervision of federal agencies, programs, activities, and policy implementation. What is the oversight function of Congress?Ĭongressional oversight refers to the review, monitoring, and supervision of federal agencies, programs and policy implementation, and it provides the legislative branch with an opportunity to inspect, examine, review and check the executive branch and its agencies. The former refer more to accounting evaluation and are usually conducted by an audit unit of the target agency.

These control mechanisms may be internal or external. Citizens exercise their oversight powers through their use of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and by voting.īureaucratic oversight mechanisms are to ensure that public officials conduct themselves ethically as well as effectively and efficiently.

How is the bureaucracy held accountable by congressional oversight and by the president? Both Congress and the president exercise direct oversight over the bureaucracy by holding hearings, making appointments, and setting budget allowances. Congress revises statutes that establish the agency's mission 📝, exercises control over an agency's budget, and conducts audits or holds hearings, and influences the selection of agency directors (Senatorial Confirmation).
