THE MACHINE
REGULATORY COMMISSIONS, GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS & EXEC AGENCIES
INDEPENDANT REGULATORY COMMISSIONS
Independent regulatory commission, in United States, an agency established to be outside the power of both the president and the Congress
THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSIONS
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) coordinates
intelligence activities of certain government departments and
agencies; collects, correlates and evaluates intelligence
information relating to national security; and makes
recommendations to the National Security Council.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), founded in 1970, works
with state and local governments throughout the United States to
control and abate pollution in the air and water, and to deal
with the problems of solid waste, pesticides, radiation and toxic
substances. EPA sets and enforces standards for air and water
quality, evaluates the impact of pesticides and chemical
substances, and manages the so-called "Superfund"
program for cleaning toxic waste sites.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licenses the
operation of radio and television stations and regulates
interstate telephone and telegraph services. It sets rates for
interstate communications services, assigns radio frequencies,
and administers international communications treaties.
The Federal Reserve System supervises the private banking system
of the United States. It regulates the volume of credit and money
in circulation. The Federal Reserve performs many of the
functions of central banks in other countries, such as issuing
paper currency; unlike central banks, however, it does not act as
the depository of the country's gold reserve.
The Federal Trade Commission guards against trade abuses and
unfair business practices by conducting investigations and
holding hearings on complaints.
The General Services Administration controls much of the physical
property of the federal government. It is responsible for the
purchase, supply, operation and maintenance of federal property,
buildings and equipment, and for the sale of surplus items.
The Interstate Commerce Commission regulates the rates and
practices in interstate commerce of all common carriers, such as
railroads, buses, trucks, and shipping on inland waterways. It
supervises the issuance of stocks and bonds by common carriers
and enforces safety laws.
The National Labor Relations Board administers the principal U.S.
labor law, the National Labor Relations Act. The Board is vested
with the power to prevent or remedy unfair labor practices and to
safeguard employees' rights to organize and determine through
elections whether to have unions as their bargaining
representative.
The Office Of National Drug Control Policy, created in 1988 to
raise the profile of the U.S. government's fight against illegal
drugs, coordinates efforts of such agencies as the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration, the Customs Service and the Coast
Guard.
The Office Of Personnel Management in 1979 assumed functions of
the Civil Service Commission, which was created in 1883 to
establish a merit system for government service and to eliminate
politics from public appointments. The agency holds competitive
examinations across the country to select qualified workers for
over three million government posts. It also sponsors training
programs to increase the effectiveness of government employees.
The Securities And Exchange Commission was established to protect
investors who buy stocks and bonds. Federal laws require
companies that plan to raise money by selling their own
securities to file facts about their operations with the
commission. The commission has powers to prevent or punish fraud
in the sale of securities, and is authorized to regulate stock
exchanges.
The United States Arms Control And Disarmament Agency is
responsible for U.S. participation in international negotiations
on arms limitation and disarmament. It represents the United
States on international arms control commissions and supports
research on arms control and disarmament.
GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS
Also independant, however they provide direct services.
THE CORPS
Action is the principal federal agency for
administering domestic volunteer service programs to meet basic
human needs, and to support the self-help efforts of poor
individuals and communities. Some of ACTION's programs are Foster
Grandparents, offering older Americans opportunities for close
relationships with needy children; Volunteers in Service to
America (VISTA), which provides volunteers to work in poor
communities; and Student Community Service Projects, which
encourages students to volunteer in their communities as part of
their education.
The General Accounting Office is an arm of the legislative branch
that oversees expenditures by the executive branch. It is headed
by the comptroller general of the United States. It settles or
adjusts -- independently of the executive departments -- all
claims and demands by or against the federal government, and all
money accounts in which the government is concerned. It also
checks the ledger accounts of all federal disbursement and
collection officers to see that public funds have been paid out
legally.
The National Aeronautics And Space Administration (NASA),
established in 1958 to run the U.S. space program, placed the
first American satellites and astronauts in orbit, and launched
the Apollo spacecraft that landed men on the moon in 1969. Today,
NASA conducts research aboard Earth-orbiting satellites and
interplanetary probes, explores new concepts in advanced
aerospace technology, and operates the U.S. fleet of manned space
shuttles. In the 1990s, NASA will assemble, in space, the
components for a permanent space station manned by international
crews from the United States, Europe and Japan.
The National Foundation On The Arts And The Humanities encourages
the development of American arts, literature and scholarship,
through grants to individuals, groups, institutions and state
agencies.
The National Science Foundation was created to strengthen basic
research and education in the sciences in the United States. It
grants funds for research and education programs to universities
and other institutions, and coordinates the science information
activities of the federal government.
The Peace Corps, founded in 1961, trains volunteers to serve in
foreign countries for two years. Peace Corps volunteers, now
working in more than 60 nations, assist in agricultural-rural
development, small business, health, natural resources
conservation and education.
The Small Business Administration lends money to small businesses,
aids victims of floods and other natural disasters, and helps
secure contracts for small businesses to supply goods and
services to the federal government.
The United States Agency For International Development (USAID)
carries out economic assistance programs designed to help the
people in developing countries develop their human and economic
resources, increase their productive capacities, and improve the
quality of human life. The USAID administrator also serves as
director of the U.S. International Development Cooperation Agency,
which serves as the focal point for U.S. participation in such
organizations as the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF), the
Organization of American States (OAS) Technical Assistance Funds
program, the World Bank Group, and along with the Department of
Agriculture, the Food for Peace program.
The United States Postal Service is operated by an autonomous
public corporation that replaced the Post Office Department in
1971. The Postal Service is responsible for the collection,
transportation and delivery of the mails, and for the operation
of thousands of local post offices across the country. It also
provides international mail service through the Universal Postal
Union and other agreements with foreign countries. An independent
Postal Rate Commission, also created in 1971, sets the rates for
different classes of mail.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's job is to maintain the stability of and public
confidence in the nation's financial system. To achieve this goal,
the FDIC has insured deposits and promoted safe and sound banking
practices since 1933. Each depositor is insured with $100,000.
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EXECUTIVE AGENCIES
Executive agencies are concidered part of the Executive Branch.
to see examples go to our "Executive Agencies" page.