Transcript Independent Agencies

Independent Agencies
Quentin Baek, Stephen Magnuson, Laura Fowler,
Adam Link.
Background
Until the 1880s, nearly all that the Federal
Government did was done through its
Cabinet departments.
 Since then, Congress has created a large
number of addition agencies – the
independent agencies.
 They number nearly 150.
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Background
Several independent agencies administer
programs similar to those of the Cabinet
departments.
 Ex) NASA
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Independent Agencies
The Social Security Administration is the
largest unit today.
 Health and Human Services has the
largest budget.
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Why Independent Agencies
Some have been set up outside the
regular departmental structure simply b/c
they do not fit well within any
department.
 Ex) GSA(The General Services
Administration.)
 Ex) OPM(The Office of Personnel
Management)
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Why Independent Agencies
Most of the agencies are independent
only in the sense that they are not
located within any of the 15 Cabinet
departments.
 They are not independent of the
President and the executive branch.
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3 Main Groups.
The independent executive agencies
 The independent regulatory commissions
 The government corporations.
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Independent executive agencies
Includes most of the independent
agencies
 Ex) GSA, NASA, EPA (three of the largest
independent executive agencies)
 Headed by a single administrator with
subunits operating on a regional basis.
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Independent executive agencies
The most important difference between
these independent executive agencies and
the 15 executive departments is simply
that they do not have Cabinet status.
 They sometimes attract public notice.
 Ex) The Civil Rights Commission, The
Peace Corps, The Federal Election
Commission, and the National
Transportation Safety Board
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Independent Executive Agencies
They have few employees
 Small budgets
 Rarely attract any attention
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Independent Regulatory
Commissions
They stand out because they are largely
beyond the reach of presidential direction
and control
 There are ten of the agencies
 Created to regulate, police, important
aspects of the nation’s economy
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Independent Regulatory
Commissions
The independent regulatory commissions’
large measure of independence from the
White House comes mainly from the way
in which Congress has structured them.
 Each is headed by a board or commission
made up of five to seven members
appointed by the President with Senate
consent.
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Independent Regulatory
Commissions
The officers of five of these agencies can
be removed by the President only for
those causes Congress has specified
 Unlike other independent agencies, the
regulatory commissions are also quasilegislative and quasi-judicial
 That is, Congress has given them certain
legislative-like and judicial-like powers
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Quasi-legislative, quasi-judicial
They exercise the quasi-legislative powers
when they make rules and regulations
 They exercise the quasi-judicial powers
when they decide disputes in those fields
in which Congress has given them policing
authority.
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Government Corporations
Government Corporations are within the
executive branch and subject to the
President’s direction and control
 Unlike the others, they were set up by
Congress to carry out certain businesslike activities.
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Government Corporations
Created when Congress chartered the
Bank of the United States in 1791.
 Congress set up dozens of corporations
to carry out emergency programs.
 There are now more than 50 of these
agencies
 Ex) U.S. Postal Service, FDIC, NPCA,
PBGC, TVA

Government Corporations
The President selects most of the top
officers of government corporations with
Senate confirmation.
 These public agencies are financed by
public funds.

Government Corporations
Some are attached to an executive
department(not independent)
 Ex) The Commodity Credit Corporation
 Some do have independence.
 Ex) The Tennessee Valley Authority
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Questions
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What were the three main groups of independent
agencies?
What is the major difference between
independent executive agencies and the 15
executive department?
What was the word for the regulatory
commissions to exercise when they make rules?
Which of the three groups was set up by
Congress to carry out certain business-like
activities?
How many independent agencies are there today?