Independent Agencies

Early American History and Civics

Goals

Identify the responsibilities of executive agencies

Identify the purpose of regulatory commissions

Compare government corporations with private corporations.

Independent Agencies

The executive branch can only handle a small part of its’ responsibilities.

Independent Agencies

Other organizations handle these responsibilities

Independent Agencies

Today’s government includes hundreds of independent federal agencies.

Independent Agencies

Three types:

Executive departments

Regulatory commissions

Government corporations

Independent Agencies

An Executive agency is an independent agency responsible for dealing with specialized areas of the government.

Independent Agencies

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an executive agency

Examples

Another example includes the Central Intelligence Agency

Executive Agencies

Another includes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Regulatory Commissions

A regulatory commission is an independent agency that protects the public.

Regulatory Commissions

Each commission has executive, legislative, and judicial powers.

Regulatory commissions

Examples include the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC)

Example

One other example includes the Federal Communication Commission (FCC)

Example

Another includes the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

Regulatory Commissions

The government keeps the commissions impartial.

Government Corporations

Similar to a private corporation, EXCEPT, the government owns and operates it.

Government Corporations

These corporations operate under the direction of congress BUT are given flexibility.

Government Corporations

Example of a government corporation is the United States Postal Service. (USPS)