Executive Branch Vocabulary Flashcard

Front

A legislative grant of money to finance a government program or agency.

Back

Appropriation

Front

A mutually beneficial relationship between an agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group.

Back

Iron triangle

Front

Authority given to the president that is specifically mentioned in the Constitution.

Back

Formal power

Front

A large, complex organization composed of appointed officials.

Back

Bureaucracy

Front

Procedure of hiring and promoting government employees on the basis of their abilities and competence rather than political favors.

Back

Merit System

Front

The part of the executive branch that supports the president in his responsibilities, from security to trade.

Back

Executive Office of the President

Front

The extent to which appointed bureaucrats can choose courses of action and make policies that are not spelled out in advance by the laws of Congress.

Back

Discretionary authority/Bureaucratic Discretion

Front

The part of the government that fulfills the daily functions of the bureaucracy. These government workers are hired on the basis of merit.

Back

Civil service

Front

Issued by the president after passing a bill into law; reveals what the president thinks of a new law and how it ought to be enforced.

Back

Signing statement

Front

The law that created a merit-based system for the hiring of members of the civil service.

Back

Pendleton Act