Concept application
Delivery drones and agency rulemaking
- Unit 2
- 3 points
- About 20 minutes
You read a short scenario about politics and explain how a political institution, behavior or process from the course is at work in it. On the exam: Question 1 of 4 in the free-response section (1 hour 40 minutes for all four, 50% of your score).
The question and its sources
Read the scenario and answer parts A, B, and C.
Scenario
A transportation law passed by Congress directed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to “establish standards for the safe operation of commercial delivery drones over populated areas.” The law did not say how high the drones could fly, how much they could carry, or whether operators had to keep them in sight.
The FAA published a proposed rule that would limit delivery drones to 400 feet, require each drone to broadcast its location, and bar flights directly over crowds. During the public comment period, the agency received more than 40,000 comments. A trade association of delivery companies argued that the location requirement was too expensive, while a group of city governments asked for stricter limits on flights over homes.
Before the rule became final, the chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee scheduled a hearing and asked the head of the FAA to testify about the proposal.
Source: Hypothetical scenario
Suggested time: 20 minutes
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Part (a)
1 pointDescribe the power Congress gave the FAA in the scenario.
0 / 2,500 characters
Part (b)
1 pointExplain why Congress might choose to write a law like the one in the scenario instead of setting the detailed drone rules itself.
0 / 2,500 characters
Part (c)
1 pointIn the context of the scenario, explain how the committee hearing could influence the FAA's final rule.
0 / 2,500 characters
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