ABSTRACT
The political consequences of failings in legislative-executive relations are the most significant driving force behind the search for means to reform these relations. The problems in legislative-executive relations that most concern us affect both branches and reflect criticisms leveled by one against the other as well as self-criticism. Various departments of government involved in the formulation of foreign, domestic, or economic policy have become highly sophisticated in playing parts of Congress off against others. For example, various administrations have chosen to place their emphasis on working either with appropriations or authorization committees, depending on which at a given time and on a given issue seems more sympathetic. Foreign policy presents a special problem. The officials of the executive branch charged with the conduct of foreign and defense policy testify ad nauseum before congressional committees, but this does not necessarily mean that members are provided with sufficient access to information they need to make their own judgments.
