The Department was ultimately formed by bringing together 22 different government offices, agencies, and components. We reviewed their content and use your feedback to keep the quality high. It would be impossible for Congress to apply its oversight powers without knowing whether federal programs are being administered properly and within their budgets and whether executive branch officials are obeying the law and complying with the legislative intent of the laws. The primary goals of congressional oversight are to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse and to protect civil liberties and individual rights by ensuring that the executive branch complies with the laws and the Constitution. Examples of inquiries conducted by select committees include the Watergate scandal in 1973-1974, the Iran-Contra affair in 1987, and the suspected acquisition of U.S. nuclear weapons secrets by China in 1999. A Pro-Life Agenda for the 118th Congress | The Heritage Foundation The executive branch has launched various initiatives to improve management of approximately $80 billion in IT investments and the Committee will closely monitor these initiatives. Federal agencies spent over $81 billion in fiscal year 2014 buying, operating, and maintaining information technology products, services, and systems. This is the power of Congress to scrutinise and check the activities of the executive branch of government and hold it to account. d. Speaker of the House. Congress enacted the 1972 amendments to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, commonly referred to as the Clean Water Act (CWA), with the goal of restoring and maintaining The Committee will conduct oversight of the Administrations efforts to regulate the practice of hydraulic fracturing, which has been regulated by the states for decades. ThoughtCo. a. Performance management will be part of the Committees review. The Committee will focus on overseeing DODs financial management processes and its progress towards becoming auditable. Whether it was rampant spending driving up inflation or tax increases that will only further shrink the wallets of families, farmers, and small [] The Committee will review the process by which the 2020 Decennial Census will be conducted, its level of accuracy, and the appropriateness of the Decennials overall budget. on upkeep and maintenance of those properties. The Attorney General and the Oversight Hearing Doors have opened. Every week, the retailer makes a decision about how many units of the toy to stock. Chapter 11. Controlling federal government contract spending is critically important. write a compromise bill, if the House and Senate bills contain different provisions. is located in the Constitution in the text of the Tenth Amendment. The Committee will conduct oversight of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and their regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). ), and Mike Braun (R-Indiana) have introduced bipartisan legislation to combat the opioid epidemic by preventing the approval of new, dangerous medications.<i> </i>The <i>FDA Accountability for Public Safety Act</i> would strengthen oversight throughout the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) opioid approval . The Committee will also review the non-decennial operations of the Census Bureau to identify opportunities for savings by improving efficiency and reducing waste. Many of these systems fail to deliver the productivity gains that were expected, or worse, simply fail. Standing committees are The Committee will also conduct oversight of EPAs ongoing study of the relationship between hydraulic fracturing and drinking water. Reviews the actions of subcommittees OA. The Committee will conduct oversight and investigations pursuant to its legislative jurisdiction and its broad jurisdiction under House Rule X. The Committee will continue to conduct oversight of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and review the actions it took in monitoring financial fraud with respect to third-party payment processors. In fiscal year 2013 alone, the inspector general community identified potential savings in executive branch departments and agencies totaling almost $51.8 billion. b. c. c. what is Congressional oversight? he foremost power holder in the House of Representatives is the A 1 / 29. e. permanent bodies that are established by the rules of each chamber and that continue from session to session. Oversight or overkill? DoD faces new congressional order to detail Mid "Congressional Oversight and the US Government." Which of the following statements about the people who work for Congress is false? c. The Committee will retain the flexibility to investigate instances of waste, fraud, and abuse as they emerge, and to conduct oversight of other issues as appropriate. It is designed to operate in a fact-based and nonpartisan manner to deliver important oversight information where and when it is needed. The Committee will further explore potential risks to taxpayers associated with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and government housing policies, and will work to ensure that additional taxpayer money is spent efficiently and effectively. Longley, Robert. The commission recommended to reduce redundancy, and to unify the congressional oversight community, for example creating a standing joint . Congressional Oversight and the US Government. c. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Joe Manchin (D-W.V. The Committee will also consider reauthorization of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. oversight is the process by which congress group of answer choices supervises the activity of the judicial branch. The Committee will continue to conduct oversight to promote efficiency, transparency, and accountability related to suspension and debarment, to include improvements to managing the government-wide database of suspended and disbarred contractors. 44. d. when the President supervises the activity of the judicial branch. Generally, the Congress exercises this power through its congressional committee system and these oversight can also occurs in a wide variety of congressional activities and contexts including authorization, appropriations, investigative and legislative hearings by standing committees. The Committee will generally review the public land agencies permitting and leasing programs to ensure that citizens are being treated fairly and that federal lands are open and inviting for multiple uses. Overclassification occurs because executive branch personnel are incentivized to classify information unnecessarily or at a higher level than is required. e. b. The Committees oversight will include, but not be limited to, U.S. Department of State and U.S Department of Defense efforts to protect embassy personnel and property. Contract spending began to decline in FY 2011 ($539 billion) and continued to decline through FY 2013 ($462 billion). List any restrictions (exceptions) that the manufacturer has placed in the warranty. How is membership of Congressional committees decided? passes legislation. The power of congressional oversight is reinforced by the necessary and proper clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 18) of the Constitution, which grants Congress the power. a. Transparency at the point of contract award and throughout the life cycle of the federal contract can prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. In the aftermath of the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol, the House of Representatives, as part of its congressional oversight responsibility, established a 13-member bipartisan Select Committee to investigate and report upon the facts, circumstances, and causes relating to the attack. Additionally, the pipeline permitting process involving agencies as varied as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of State, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is a contributing factor to network incapacity. c. The Committee will look broadly at ways technology can improve governmental processes. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/congressional-oversight-4177013. Why are the congressional committees so powerful? d. with the president. Chapter 9 Quiz Flashcards | Quizlet The Committee will examine the Departments implementation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to ensure that listings are made with the goal of recovering species and removing them from the list. b. a. The Committee will also examine Department of Justice grants and other law enforcement assistance programs, such as the Department of Defenses 1033 program. a. How the bureaucracy has leeway to carry out the laws (administrative discretion, rulemaking) Administrative Discretion The latitude that Congress gives agencies to make policy in the spirit of their . In 2014, the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act) was signed into law. The Committee will examine overall costs associated with public housing throughout the country and territories, as well as the significant unmet need for public housing in the United States. Near the top of the list is to conduct strict oversight concerning the $80 billion the previous Congress directed toward the IRS for increased audits and (secondarily) improved customer service . Investigative Hearings Congressional Oversight and the U.S. Government - ThoughtCo c. has provided the basis for an expanded role of the national government. The Committee will also examine the impacts of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process. "In most cases,. The list is not exhaustive. House Ways and Means Committee Federal Regulation and the Regulatory Process. Prominent among these issues are staff turnover and subsequent "wip[e] out" of oversight expertise that occurs when experienced staffers depart. Indeed, one of the first laws passed by the first Congress in 1789 established the Treasury Department and required the secretary and the treasurer to report directly to Congress on public expenditures and all accounts. D Question 1 Oversight is the process by which | Chegg.com As a result, Congress in 1998 passed legislation to reform the IRS by creating a new independent oversight board within the agency, extending the rights and protections of taxpayers and shifting the burden of proof in tax disputes from taxpayers to the IRS. b. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Congress carries out this function by holding hearings and conducts oversight of agency enforcement operations, functions and policies. For example, the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 requires the executive agencies to consult Congress when developing their strategic plans and to report on their plans, goals, and results at least annually to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). 7 Moreover, the predominant sources and methods through which the government obtains classified information have changed through its reliance on advanced technology. In particular, the Committee will monitor the status of reconstruction efforts in Haiti. minority leader majority whip The Committee will conduct oversight of the federal governments emergency management. The Committee will examine consumer protection efforts across the federal government. from any of the above sources.