Rulemaking : how government agencies write law and make policy

"Rulemaking's logic was transparent and intuitive--a wonderful review of rule-making."

--Paul Pavlich, Southern Oregon University

In this thought-provoking new edition of their highly regarded text, authors Kerwin and Furlong help students grasp the dynamics of today's American politics by showing them how rulemaking remains an elemental part of our government system. Rulemaking, Fifth Edition, brings concepts to life with the inclusion of new data, a fresh analysis of interest group participation, and new coverage of the Trump administration's actions from executive orders and key personnel to agencies' responses to changes. An invaluable and accessible guide to an intensely political process, this much-anticipated edition contains the most current scholarship on a crucial yet understudied subject.

New to the Fifth Edition

New scholarship from the past five to six years provides readers with the latest research and analysis in rulemaking. Updated information on the Obama administration and the beginning of the Trump Administration puts rulemaking in context and demonstrates how different administrations use this tool. New tables and charts reflect the most recent data available to better illustrate the trends and patterns of rulemaking.

• List of Tables and Figures p. vii
• Preface p. ix
• Chapter 1 The Substance of Rules and the Reasons for Rulemaking p. 1
• The Definition of Rulemaking p. 3
• The History of Rulemaking p. 8
• Categories of Rules p. 22
• The Reasons for Rulemaking: What It Has to Offer p. 28
• Chapter 2 The Process of Rulemaking p. 39
• Process and Substance p. 42
• The Core Elements of Rulemaking: Information, Participation, Accountability p. 50
• Information: Increased Legal Requirements p. 54
• Participation: Expanded Opportunities Mandated by Law p. 61
• Mechanisms of Accountability p. 64
• How the APA Model Has Changed p. 65
• Exceptions, Exemptions, and Evasions p. 66
• The Stages of Rulemaking p. 68
• Chapter 3 Issues and Contradictions p. 82
• The Volume of Rulemaking p. 86
• Quality and Consequences p. 92
• Timeliness p. 100
• Participation p. 109
• Bureaucratic Discretion p. 111
• The Effects of Rulemaking p. 111
• Inseparable Issues p. 112
• Chapter 4 The Management of Rulemaking p. 117
• Presidential Management p. 117
• Management on the Agency Level p. 127
• Managing Individual Rules p. 147
• Conclusion p. 158
• Chapters 5 Participation in Rulemaking p. 162
• The Purposes of Participation p. 163
• The Origins and History of Participation p. 165
• Actual Patterns of Participation p. 180
• Does Participation Matter? p. 197
• Chapter 6 Oversight of Rulemaking p. 209
• Accountability and Congress p. 211
• Accountability to the President p. 219
• Accountability to the Courts p. 234
• Conclusion p. 249
• Chapter 7 Rulemaking: Theory and Reform p. 256
• The Value of Theory p. 256
• Elements of Rulemaking Theory p. 257
• The Reform of Rulemaking p. 277
• Appendix: Titles and Chapters in the Code of Federal Regulations p. 282
• Index p. 285
• About the Authors p. 292