The Bureaucracy: Roles, Organization, and Impact on Policy MCQs USA

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1. What is the primary role of the federal bureaucracy?
(A) To enforce laws
(B) To create laws
(C) To interpret laws
(D) To amend laws

2. Which of the following is a characteristic of a bureaucratic organization?
(A) Flexible roles
(B) Hierarchical structure
(C) Decentralized decision-making
(D) Informal procedures

3. What term describes the specialized agencies within the executive branch that manage specific areas of public policy?
(A) Committees
(B) Commissions
(C) Councils
(D) Departments

4. Which of the following is NOT a primary function of a federal agency?
(A) Policy implementation
(B) Policy making
(C) Policy evaluation
(D) Policy enforcement

5. Who appoints the heads of federal executive departments?
(A) The Vice President
(B) The Supreme Court
(C) The Senate
(D) The President

6. Which body has the power to confirm the appointments of federal agency heads?
(A) The House of Representatives
(B) The Senate
(C) The Supreme Court
(D) The President

7. Which federal agency is responsible for regulating the safety of food and drugs?
(A) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
(B) Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
(C) Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
(D) Federal Reserve

8. Which federal agency oversees the enforcement of civil rights laws?
(A) Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
(B) Department of Justice (DOJ)
(C) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
(D) Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

9. What is the main purpose of regulatory agencies within the federal bureaucracy?
(A) To create laws
(B) To review judicial decisions
(C) To implement and enforce regulations
(D) To conduct foreign diplomacy

10. Which of the following is a role of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)?
(A) Preparing the federal budget
(B) Conducting criminal investigations
(C) Enforcing environmental regulations
(D) Overseeing public health

11. What term describes the process by which agencies make rules and regulations?
(A) Litigation
(B) Legislation
(C) Rulemaking
(D) Adjudication

12. Which type of bureaucracy primarily deals with internal administration and support services within a department?
(A) Line agencies
(B) Regulatory agencies
(C) Staff agencies
(D) Executive agencies

13. What term refers to the practice of bureaucrats using their expertise to influence policy decisions?
(A) Bureaucratic discretion
(B) Policy making
(C) Public opinion
(D) Administrative law

14. Which federal agency is responsible for national defense and military operations?
(A) Department of Defense (DoD)
(B) Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
(C) Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
(D) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

15. Which of the following best describes “iron triangles” in policy-making?
(A) Partnerships between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees
(B) Relationships between Congress, the President, and the courts
(C) Interactions between local, state, and federal governments
(D) Links between state legislatures and local governments

16. Which federal department is responsible for overseeing immigration and border security?
(A) Department of Justice (DOJ)
(B) Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
(C) Department of State
(D) Department of Treasury

17. What is the primary function of the General Services Administration (GSA)?
(A) Managing federal employees
(B) Administering foreign aid programs
(C) Regulating interstate commerce
(D) Overseeing federal procurement and property management

18. Which concept refers to the tendency of bureaucratic agencies to promote their own interests over those of the public?
(A) Bureaucratic drift
(B) Agency capture
(C) Administrative overreach
(D) Institutional inertia

19. Which federal agency is tasked with protecting the environment and human health?
(A) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
(B) Department of Energy (DOE)
(C) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
(D) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

20. Which body is responsible for reviewing and approving federal regulations proposed by bureaucratic agencies?
(A) The President
(B) The Supreme Court
(C) Congress
(D) The Federal Reserve

21. Which concept refers to the situation where bureaucratic agencies become overly influenced by the interests of the industries they regulate?
(A) Iron triangles
(B) Policy drift
(C) Administrative discretion
(D) Agency capture

22. Which agency administers the Social Security program?
(A) Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
(B) Department of Labor
(C) Social Security Administration (SSA)
(D) Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

23. What is the term for the specialized knowledge or expertise that bureaucrats bring to policy-making?
(A) Bureaucratic expertise
(B) Political capital
(C) Legislative knowledge
(D) Public policy insight

24. Which of the following is a key challenge faced by federal bureaucracies?
(A) Lack of public interest
(B) Over-regulation of local governments
(C) Excessive transparency
(D) Inefficiency and slow response times

25. Which of the following is a role of the Federal Reserve Board?
(A) Enforcing federal laws
(B) Regulating the stock market
(C) Conducting monetary policy
(D) Overseeing national defense

26. Which agency is responsible for ensuring fair labor standards and wage protections?
(A) Department of Labor (DOL)
(B) Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
(C) Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
(D) Department of Transportation (DOT)

27. Which concept describes the practice of bureaucratic agencies acting independently of presidential or legislative control?
(A) Bureaucratic autonomy
(B) Administrative discretion
(C) Agency independence
(D) Policy drift

28. What is the main purpose of a “bureaus” within a federal agency?
(A) To conduct policy research
(B) To regulate foreign trade
(C) To manage day-to-day operations
(D) To enforce judicial decisions

29. Which of the following is a major function of the Department of Treasury?
(A) Overseeing public health
(B) Managing federal tax policy
(C) Regulating interstate commerce
(D) Administering immigration laws

30. Which federal agency is responsible for ensuring the safety of highways and railroads?
(A) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
(B) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
(C) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
(D) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

31. Which of the following is a responsibility of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)?
(A) Managing national security
(B) Regulating financial markets
(C) Preserving federal documents and historical records
(D) Conducting scientific research

32. What term refers to the process by which Congress reviews and evaluates the performance of federal agencies?
(A) Oversight
(B) Rulemaking
(C) Regulation
(D) Adjudication

33. Which agency is responsible for protecting the nation’s airspace and coordinating air traffic?
(A) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
(B) National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
(C) Department of Transportation (DOT)
(D) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

34. Which of the following best describes the “merit system” used in federal employment?
(A) Employment based on political connections
(B) Employment based on qualifications and performance
(C) Employment based on seniority
(D) Employment based on party affiliation

35. Which federal agency is responsible for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and medications?
(A) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
(B) National Institutes of Health (NIH)
(C) Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
(D) Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

36. What is the primary function of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)?
(A) Regulating environmental policies and practices
(B) Enforcing labor laws
(C) Overseeing public transportation
(D) Managing national security

37. Which of the following is a major responsibility of the Department of State?
(A) Managing national defense
(B) Regulating commerce
(C) Conducting foreign affairs and diplomacy
(D) Overseeing public health

38. Which agency is primarily responsible for disaster response and recovery in the United States?
(A) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
(B) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
(C) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
(D) Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

39. What is the role of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)?
(A) Regulating healthcare
(B) Overseeing environmental policy
(C) Conducting military operations
(D) Managing the federal workforce

40. Which of the following is a function of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)?
(A) Preventing anti-competitive business practices
(B) Regulating air travel
(C) Enforcing immigration laws
(D) Conducting foreign intelligence

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