Final answer:
The acquisitive model of bureaucracy best accounts for bureaucracies' tendency to push Congress for more funding each year, as it suggests agencies aim to maximize their budgets and expand their power.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to models of bureaucracy, specifically focusing on which model best explains why bureaucracies often seek increased funding from Congress annually. The correct answer to this question is b. the acquisitive model. The acquisitive model of bureaucracy proposes that bureaucratic agencies are inherently motivated to maximize their budgets and expand their resources. This model suggests that agencies tend to push for increased funding every year in an effort to expand their influence and capabilities, irrespective of the genuine need for service improvement. This behavior is contrasted with the Weberian model, which outlines an ideal type of bureaucracy that operates efficiently under a clear set of rules, and the monopolistic model, which compares bureaucracies to monopolistic businesses that lack competition and, thus, any incentive to improve efficiency.