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Oversight is an implied rather than an enumerated power under the U.S. Constitution. [2] The government's charter does not explicitly grant Congress the authority to conduct inquiries or investigations of the executive, to have access to records or materials held by the executive, or to issue subpoenas for documents or testimony from the executive.
The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is the main investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives.The committee's broad jurisdiction and legislative authority make it one of the most influential and powerful panels in the House.
Through congressional acts, the legislative branch has the power to curb bureaucratic drift. [17] [18] Such regulation can take the form of statutory control or congressional oversight. [18] [19] Through statutory control, Congress aims to limit bureaucratic drift before it occurs by exerting influence over the organization of a bureaucracy.
Obstructing the work of Congress is a crime under federal law, and is known as contempt of Congress. Each house of Congress has the power to cite individuals for contempt, but may not impose any punishment. Instead, after a house issues a contempt citation, the judicial system pursues the matter like a normal criminal case.
Congressional oversight is intended to prevent waste and fraud, protect civil liberties and individual rights, ensure executive compliance with the law, gather information for making laws and educating the public, and evaluate executive performance. [12] It applies to cabinet departments, executive agencies, regulatory commissions, and the ...
As an executive branch department, the newly formed Department of Homeland Security required congressional counterparts to facilitate legislative action and oversight. The committee was made permanent when it was elevated to standing status by a vote of the House of Representatives on January 4, 2005, on the opening day of the 109th Congress ...
To manage the wide variety of issues it encounters, the committee relies on the front-line work of six subcommittees, one more than during the 111th Congress. During the 111th Congress, Chairman Henry Waxman combined the traditionally separate energy and environment subcommittees into a single subcommittee. [4]
Hearings also ensure that the executive branch's execution goes with legislative intent, while administrative policies reflect the public interest. Oversight hearings often seek to improve the efficiency, economy, and effectiveness of government operations. A significant part of a committee's hearings workload is dedicated to oversight.