MAPP501 - WEEK 6 - WEEKLY READING NOTES

MAPP501: Week 6 – Policy and
Legislative Process
American Public University




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,Course Objectives:
1. CO2: Evaluate the policy process from design to implementation and
evaluation.
2. CO3: Formulate a discipline specific lexicon through which you can
describe complex social problems.
3. CO6: Assess the conditions that influence administrative decisions.



Course Objectives:...........................................................................................2
Comparative Public Policy: Using the Comparative Method to Advance Our
Understanding of the Policy Process................................................................4
Overview.......................................................................................................4
Key Research Questions...............................................................................4
Category 1: Comparing Policy Outcomes......................................................4
Contributions..............................................................................................5
Category 2: Comparing Theories Across Institutional Configurations...........5
Category 3: Comparing Theories to Each Other............................................6
Key Takeaways.............................................................................................6
Future Research Recommendations.............................................................7
APA Citation..................................................................................................7
Committees of the U.S. Congress....................................................................8
Overview of U.S. Congressional Committees................................................8
Committee Structure..................................................................................8
Congress.gov classifies committees into several types:............................8
Committee Categories & Examples..............................................................8
1. House Standing Committees (20 total)..................................................8
2. Special & Select Committees.................................................................9
3. Joint Committees....................................................................................9
4. Commissions, Caucuses, Panels, Task Forces........................................9
Committee Functionality.............................................................................10
Significance & Academic Insights...............................................................10

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, Institutional Role......................................................................................10
Research & Process Relevance................................................................10
Suggested Academic Applications..............................................................10
APA Citation................................................................................................11
The Legislative Process: Overview.................................................................12
Constitutional Foundations.........................................................................12
Institutional Equality and Differences.........................................................12
Procedural Distinctions Between the Chambers.........................................12
Party Leadership Structure.........................................................................13
Committee System.....................................................................................13
Presidential Role in Legislation...................................................................13
Flexibility of the Legislative Process...........................................................14
Key Academic Insights................................................................................14
Suggested Applications...............................................................................14
APA Citation................................................................................................14
Types of Legislation.......................................................................................16
Theories of and in the Policy Process.............................................................18
Introduction.................................................................................................18
Theories of the Policy Process.....................................................................18
Theories in the Policy Process.....................................................................19
Conclusion...................................................................................................20
From Instrument to Policy: Observing the Meaning Process to Make a
Decision.........................................................................................................21
Introduction: Policy Knowledge and Its Dual Paths.....................................21
Prescriptive Policy Analysis: Knowledge on Policy Substance.....................21
Predictive Policy Analysis: Knowledge on Policy Dynamics.........................22
Bridging the Divide: A Discursive Approach................................................23
Conclusion: Policy Analysis as a Political Process.......................................23




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