Keeping tabs on the executive.

Congress has long exercised its power to oversee the executive branch. Important research has examined empirical patterns in congressional investigations, finding institutional, individual, policy, and partisan incentives motivate legislative inquiry. Yet, scholars largely have overlooked one fundam...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Presidential Studies Quarterly Vol. 53; no. 2; pp. 186 - 209
Autores principales: Selin, Jennifer L., Moore, Grace
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Wiley-Blackwell Jun2023
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:Congress has long exercised its power to oversee the executive branch. Important research has examined empirical patterns in congressional investigations, finding institutional, individual, policy, and partisan incentives motivate legislative inquiry. Yet, scholars largely have overlooked one fundamental question: what is oversight? We use new quantitative and qualitative data to highlight the importance of considering oversight as a series of actions designed to serve both as a symbol and signal in the American separation of powers system. Our exploratory analysis suggests that Congress oversees the executive branch much more frequently and in more ways than previously considered by scholars.