What is Legislative permission to begin or continue a government program called?

• A. Discretionary authority
• B. Competitive service
• C. Authorization legislation
• D. Name-request

Answer: (C)

Legislative permission to start or keep a government program is provided through authorization legislation. This kind of law gives agencies the authority to create or operate a program, and it usually outlines the program’s purpose, scope, rules, and duration. It’s the legal green light that says the program can exist, operate, and set its own guidelines within the framework Congress approves.

Funding, on the other hand, comes separately through appropriations—money the government actually allocates to run the program. So a program can be authorized to exist, but still need appropriations to be funded.

Discretionary authority is about how an agency implements programs within the authorized framework, not the initial permission to begin or continue the program. Name-request and competitive service relate to hiring processes, not program authorization.