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Politics & Government

Administrative Discretion and the Politics of Bureaucratic Reputation

Quick fact

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has enormous discretion in enforcing the Clean Air Act, meaning that its reputation for scientific credibility directly shapes how far it can push regulations before Congress or the public push back.

Why this is interesting

We assume that Congress makes laws and agencies just 'carry them out'. But what happens when laws leave room for interpretation and administrators become the real rule-makers?