Transparency and accountability are big issues in government today. People want to know what the government is doing, how they are doing it, and whether or not it is effective.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is charged with auditing and evaluating government programs and activities. You may or may not have seen news reports about the results of GAO audits or evaluations on issues related to public policies.

In some cases, the audits or evaluations provide information about ineffective rules or gaps in procedures employed by administrative agencies. The audits and evaluations of the GAO, as well as the oversight performed by the executive, legislative, and executive branches of government, impact how administrative agencies function, how agency heads and employees behave, and how the rulemaking process is executed.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review Chapter 6 in the course text, Rulemaking: How Government Agencies Write Law and Make Policy and your Application Assignment this week. Think about the importance of oversight in the rulemaking process.
• Review the article, Agency Responsiveness to the Legislative Oversight of Administrative Rulemaking: A Case Study of Rules Review in the Illinois General Assembly. Reflect on how oversight is used and its impact on administrative agencies.
• Review the online article, The Impact of Executive Order 13,422 on Presidential Oversight of Agency Administration. Reflect on the evolution of presidential oversight of agency administration. Then consider the impact of presidential oversight on the balance between agency heads and the president and agency independence and flexibility.
• Review the article, Enforcement and Oversight: Using Congressional Oversight to Shape OSHA Bureaucratic Behavior. Consider the impact of oversight on the behaviors of agency heads and agency employees.
• Review the course media, Administrative Agencies–Oversight and Accountability, focusing on oversight and the impact on administrative agencies, agency heads, and/or the rulemaking process.
• Consider the importance of oversight in the rulemaking process.
• Think about the impact of oversight on administrative agencies, agency heads, and/or the rulemaking process.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 5 an explanation of the importance of oversight in the rulemaking process. Then explain how oversight might impact administrative agencies, agency heads, and/or the rulemaking process. Be specific and use examples to illustrate your explanations.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.