Chapter 6: The Executive Branch

1. Section 4: Independent Agencies and Regulatory Commissions pp. 163-165 Chapter 6:The Executive Branch

2. Reading Focus • Congress sets up a number of independent agencies to help the president carry out the duties of office. • These are separate from the executive departments because they perform specialized duties that often do not fit into a regular department. • Some serve all of the departments

3. Independent Agencies • There are more than 65 independent agencies, each created by Congress to perform a specific job. • US Commission on Civil Rights: collects info about discrimination. • The Farm Credit Admin: helps farmers obtain loans. • The Small Business Admin: makes loans to small businesses. • The National Aeronautics and Space Admin (NASA): runs the US space program.

4. Other independent agencies assist the work of the entire government. • Office of Personnel Management: gives tests to people who want to apply for jobs with the federal government. • General Services Admin: buys supplies for the federal government. It also builds and maintains federal buildings.

5. Regulatory Commissions • Some independent agencies have the power to make rules and bring violators to court. They are called regulatory commissions. • Federal Election Commission (FEC): enforce the Federal Election Campaign Act (determines how federal elections are financed). It enforces election laws, provides finance information, etc. • Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC): sets and enforces safety standards for consumer products.

6. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC): helps enforce laws regulating the buying and selling of stocks and bonds. • National Labor Relations Board (NLRB): helps enforce federal labor laws. It works to prevent and remedy unfair labor practices among businesses. • Also includes the Food and Drug Admin, Federal Reserve System, Federal Trade Commission, Federal Deposit Insurance Commission, Federal Aviation Admin, Equal Employment Opportunity Agency, Occupational Safety and Health Admin, Environmental Protection Agency, Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Surface Transportation Board.

7. Who Runs the Regulatory Commissions? • The regulatory commissions are independent so that they have the freedom to do their jobs. • The heads of these commissions are appointed by the president and approved by the Senate. • They serve long terms (a single president cannot appoint more than a few officials). • Some think they are too powerful and over-regulate and interfere too much in our lives. • Others say they are needed to protect the public.

8. The Federal Bureaucracy • The departments and agencies in the executive branch of the government form the federal bureaucracy. • Almost 3 million people work here (administrators, lawyers, scientists, doctors, engineers, secretaries, and clerks). • They work in Wash DC, other cities, and in foreign countries. • They have many rules and regulations that lead to bureaucratic delay or “red tape.” This involves filling out forms and standing in long lines. May have to go from department to department before getting what they need. • However, this bureaucracy keeps the executive branch functioning under every president.