Which statement about regulatory levels is true?

• A. Treaties are at the same level as statutes.
• B. Treaties are below administrative regulations.
• C. Administrative regulations are at the same level as federal executive orders.
• D. Federal statutes are higher than administrative regulations.

Answer: (C)

Understanding regulatory hierarchy helps you see how rules are created and enforced. Administrative regulations are the rules federal agencies issue under authority Congress grants to implement statutes. Federal executive orders are directives from the President that tell agencies how to act or implement policy. Both kinds of actions come from the executive branch and carry binding effect within their scope, but they originate from different sources of authority. Because they serve similar purposes—directing agency behavior and policy—administrative regulations and federal executive orders sit at the same level in practice. They operate under the framework of statutes and the Constitution, and they can be challenged or constrained by statutes and courts if they exceed their authority. The other statements aren’t as accurate about how these tools relate to each other, so the view that administrative regulations and executive orders share the same level of authority is the best match.