CivicstextbooksfocusonhowCongressmakespolicythroughthelegislativeprocess,buttherealityisthatmembersofCongresshavelimitedopportunitiestoadvancetheirpolicypriorities.Infact,lessthanfivepercentofthebillsthatareintroducedinCongressbecomelaw.Eventhemosttenaciouslegislatorsareconfrontedbybicameralism,partisangridlock,chamberprocedures,leadership’scontroloftheagenda,andthediverseinterestsof534othermembersofCongress.Whatstrategiesdolawmakershavefornavigatingthesechallenges?Inthisbook,MelindaN.RitchierevealshowmembersofCongressusethefederalbureaucracyasabackdoorforpolicymaking.Today,morelawintheUnitedStatesismadebyunelectedbureaucratsthroughfederalagencyregulationsthanwithcongressionalstatute.Ritchiearguesthatthebureaucracy’sgrowingroleinpolicymakingofferslawmakersadiscreetwaytorepresentcontroversialinterestsoutsideoftheformalconstraintsofCongress.LawmakersovercomeobstaclesinthelegislativeprocessbysubstitutingagencyregulationsforlegislationandpressuringagenciestomakepolicychangesthatwouldnotpassCongress.DrawingonanoriginaldatasetconstructedfromrecordsobtainedundertheFreedomofInformationAct,RitchietracestheinteractionsbetweenmembersofCongressandfederalagenciestoillustratehowthesecommunicationsfunctionaspartofalawmaker’soverarchingstrategyforpolicymaking.Originalandtimely,BackdoorLawmakingexplainshowmembersofCongressexploittheseparationofpowersandevadethelawmakingprocessestablishedintheUSConstitution.
