#Statute

31 entries

Processes (3)

How agencies turn laws into binding regulations through notice and comment, White House review, and judicial oversight

The law that lets anyone request records from federal agencies, and the nine exemptions that let agencies withhold them

What happens to a bill after it becomes law: slip laws, the Statutes at Large, and the 54 titles of the United States Code

Principles (1)

Sunset Provisions

Clauses that make a law, program, or agency expire on a set date unless lawmakers act to renew it

Documents & Cases (27)

Administrative Procedure Act

The 1946 law that governs how every federal agency makes rules, decides cases, and is reviewed by courts

Antideficiency Act

The law barring federal officials from spending or obligating money beyond what Congress has appropriated, the legal reason government shuts down when funding lapses

Budget and Accounting Act of 1921

The law that created the modern federal budget, requiring an annual presidential budget and establishing the Bureau of the Budget and the General Accounting Office

Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990

The law that created chief financial officers in major federal agencies and required audited financial statements, the basis of modern federal financial management

Civil Service Reform Act of 1978

The law that replaced the Civil Service Commission with OPM, the Merit Systems Protection Board, and the FLRA, created the Senior Executive Service, and set federal labor rules

Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974

The law that gave Congress its own budget process and limited a President's power to refuse to spend appropriated money

Electoral Count Act and the 2022 Reform

The 1887 law governing how states certify and Congress counts presidential electoral votes, and its 2022 overhaul after the disputes of 2020 and January 6, 2021

Ethics in Government Act of 1978

The post-Watergate law that requires financial disclosure by senior officials, created the Office of Government Ethics, tightened post-employment rules, and established the independent counsel

Federal Advisory Committee Act

The 1972 law requiring federal advisory committees to be chartered, balanced, and open to the public, so outside advice to government is transparent

Federal Reserve Act

The 1913 law creating the Federal Reserve System of regional reserve banks and a central board, the foundation of U.S. monetary policy and banking supervision

Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998

The law setting who may temporarily perform the duties of a Senate-confirmed executive office when it is vacant, and for how long

Hatch Act

The 1939 law limiting partisan political activity by federal employees, and some state and local workers, to keep government work separate from campaigns

Help America Vote Act of 2002

The law passed after the 2000 Florida recount that funded new voting machines, required provisional ballots and statewide voter lists, and created the Election Assistance Commission

Homeland Security Act of 2002

The law that created the Department of Homeland Security by merging 22 agencies, the largest reorganization of the federal government since 1947

Inspector General Act of 1978

The law that created independent inspectors general inside federal agencies to audit and investigate waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct, reporting to both agency heads and Congress

Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004

The law that followed the 9/11 Commission's recommendations by creating the Director of National Intelligence and the National Counterterrorism Center

Judiciary Act of 1789

The law that built the federal court system the Constitution only sketched

Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946

The law that modernized Congress after World War II by consolidating its committees, creating professional committee staffs, and requiring lobbyists to register

National Security Act of 1947

The Cold War law that created the CIA, the National Security Council, an independent Air Force, and the Secretary of Defense

National Voter Registration Act of 1993

The motor voter law requiring states to offer registration at driver license and public assistance offices, accept a national mail form, and follow rules for removing voters

Paperwork Reduction Act

The 1980 law that created the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs and requires OMB approval before agencies collect information from the public

Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act

The 1883 law that founded the federal merit system, requiring competitive examinations for covered jobs and barring political firings and forced contributions

Presidential Records Act

The 1978 law making the official records of Presidents and Vice Presidents public property, transferred to the National Archives when they leave office

Presidential Succession Act

The law, last rewritten in 1947, that sets the order of officials who would act as President if both the presidency and vice presidency were vacant

The Reorganization Acts Dissolved

The series of laws from 1932 to 1984 that let Presidents restructure the executive branch through plans that took effect unless Congress objected

Voting Rights Act of 1965

The landmark law that ended literacy tests, sent federal examiners into the South, and still bars voting rules that discriminate by race

War Powers Resolution

The 1973 law, passed over Nixon's veto, meant to restore Congress's role in deciding when the country fights

All Tags

Executive Branch 148 Legislative Branch 110 Separation of Powers 110 Economy 108 Cabinet Department 105 Constitution 94 Budget 80 Supreme Court 77 Elections 76 Federalism 75 States 70 Judicial Branch 65 National Security 62 Law Enforcement 59 Administrative State 58 Oversight 49 Military 45 Foreign Policy 40 Health 39 Environment 36 Independent Agency 35 Statute 31 Civil Service 30 Data & Statistics 29 Regulatory Commission 28 Former Agency 24 Emergency Management 24 Transportation 24 Intelligence 22 Education 22 Immigration 22 Taxation 21 Government Corporation 15 Territories 12 Veterans 9 Tribal 8