Final answer:
The bureaucracy uses Policy Implementation to oversee the day-to-day operations of the federal government by putting into practice the policies of Congress, often involving a negotiated rulemaking process.
Step-by-step explanation:
The bureaucracy oversees the day-to-day operations of the federal government by enacting and enforcing rules and procedures which put into practice the policies of Congress. This is known as Policy Implementation. Once legislation is authorized by Congress, the bureaucracy has the job of executing the law through rules, regulations, and standard operating procedures.
This often involves a negotiated rulemaking process to handle grey areas not explicitly covered in the legislation. The specifics of a policy at a national level can be employed in either a top-down or bottom-up approach, and executive agencies like the EPA also have the discretion provided by Congress to create specific guidelines within the scope of the law.