Final answer:
Congressional review of the activities of an agency, department, or office is known as legislative oversight. This process is part of the checks and balances system and empowers Congress to monitor and review executive branch bureaucracies through activities such as hearings and audits by the GAO.
Step-by-step explanation:
Congressional review of the activities of an agency, department, or office is called legislative oversight. This form of oversight is a critical function of the legislative branch within the United States government, which is employed to ensure that the executive branch and its bureaucracies are properly executing the laws and utilizing funds as intended by Congress. This process allows for a system of checks and balances envisioned by the framers of the Constitution to prevent any one branch of government from dominating. The U.S. Congress, particularly through its power over funding and the approval of appointments, meticulously reviews annual summaries and budgets and conducts hearings that may range from routine inquisitions to more intently scrutinized sessions, especially when discrepancies or failures arise. Among its tools, Congress uses the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to audit, evaluate, and investigate the federal bureaucracy's use of taxpayer funds and adherence to its assigned goals.