What term describes Congress's role in drafting legislation and reviewing government actions?

The term that describes Congress's role in drafting legislation and reviewing government actions is oversight. This process involves Congress monitoring, reviewing, and supervising federal agencies, programs, and policy implementation to ensure they are functioning as intended and adhering to the laws enacted by Congress. Through oversight, Congress can evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of government operations, identify issues, and hold agencies accountable for their performance. This is a critical function of legislative bodies, as it helps ensure transparency in government and adherence to the rule of law.

While debate refers to discussions among lawmakers about the merits of legislation and ideas, it does not encompass the broader monitoring role that oversight does. Accountability relates more to the obligation of various branches of government to report, explain, and justify their actions to each other and to the public but does not specifically capture the active, supervisory role Congress plays. Rule making pertains to the process by which federal agencies develop regulations to enforce and interpret laws, which is separate from Congress's legislative and oversight functions. Thus, oversight is the most accurate term for the role described.