AP U.S. Government and Politics Flashcards: Discretionary and Rulemaking Authority
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
Name two cabinet-level departments listed in the text that are part of the federal bureaucracy.
The Department of Homeland Security, Department of Transportation, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Department of Education are all listed cabinet-level departments.
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Name two cabinet-level departments listed in the text that are part of the federal bureaucracy.
The Department of Homeland Security, Department of Transportation, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Department of Education are all listed cabinet-level departments.
What is the source of a federal bureaucratic agency's power to create regulations?
An agency's power to create regulations comes from the discretionary authority delegated to it by Congress.
Define rulemaking authority.
Rulemaking authority is the power of bureaucratic agencies to use their discretion to create and enforce regulations that carry the force of law.
How does the federal bureaucracy use its rulemaking authority?
Bureaucratic agencies use their discretion, granted by Congress, to create and enforce specific regulations to implement broader policies.
What are the two main functions of the federal bureaucracy mentioned in the text that stem from its delegated authority?
The two main functions are rulemaking (creating regulations) and implementation (enforcing policies and regulations).
Explain the relationship between policy implementation and discretionary authority.
Discretionary authority allows the bureaucracy to make choices about how to best implement policies and laws passed by Congress.
If the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) creates new rules about campaign finance disclosures, what power is it using?
The FEC is using its delegated discretionary and rulemaking authority to implement election laws.
When the Department of Transportation sets new safety standards for automobiles, what authority is it exercising?
It is exercising its delegated discretionary authority for rulemaking and implementation of transportation policy.
What is delegated discretionary authority?
It is the power granted to the federal bureaucracy by Congress to interpret and implement policies as they see fit.
Identify an independent agency from the text responsible for regulating financial markets.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is the agency responsible for regulating financial markets.