Congress and Regulatory Agency Choice: Reply to Muris

IN AN EARLIER PAPER THE AUTHORS PUT FORTH THE HYPOTHESIS THAT CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES PLAY POWERFUL YET SUBTLE ROLES IN REGULATORY AGENCY POLICY CHOICE. THEY ATTEMPTED TO SHOW, THEORETICALLY AND EMPIRICALLY, THAT DECISIONS MADE BY THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION RESPONDED TO CONGRESSIONAL PREFERENCES. IN HIS CRITIQUE IN THIS ISSUE, MURIS CHALLENGES THIS CLAIM BY ATTEMPTING TO CHECK THESE PREDICTIONS AGAINST NEW DATA. IN THIS REPLY THE AUTHORS SHOW THAT HIS DATA ARE INAPPROPRIATE TO SUPPORT HIS CLAIM.