INTEREST GROUP INFLUENCE ON RULE MAKING

A majority of actual policy is not developed by Congress but by regula tory agencies that have been delegated the authority to interpret cong ressional intent. Using some of the major variables associated with in terest group influence on Congress, this study examines a model of int erest group influence on agency rule makings. The study uses survey da ta to examine how interest groups relate to regulatory agencies, how t hose groups participate in rule making, and how they perceive the effe ctiveness of their participation. The full models and certain theoreti cal variables support the interest group influence on rule-making hypo theses, but some major discrepancies arise concerning commonly held th eories of the political science literature. The study will, it is hope d, lead to further research on the important relationship between inte rest groups and regulatory agencies.