civics in practice holt holt, rinehart and winston1 the main idea the independent agencies and...

CIVICSCIVICS IN PRACTICEIN PRACTICEHOLTHOLT

HOLT, RINEHART AND WINSTON11

The Main Idea The Independent Agencies and Regulatory

Commissions of the U.S. government perform specialized duties.

Reading Focus What are some examples of independent agencies,

and what duties do they perform? What are regulatory commissions, and who runs

them? What makes up the federal bureaucracy?

Section 4: Independent Agencies and Regulatory CommissionsSection 4: Independent Agencies and Regulatory Commissions



Independent AgenciesIndependent Agencies Perform specialized duties that do not fit into regular Perform specialized duties that do not fit into regular

departmentsdepartments Some serve all of the departments and some assist Some serve all of the departments and some assist

the work of the entire government.the work of the entire government. Examples: Examples:

U.S. Commission on Civil RightsU.S. Commission on Civil Rights Farm Credit AdministrationFarm Credit Administration Small Business AdministrationSmall Business Administration National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration




Independent AgenciesIndependent Agencies

The The Central Intelligence AgencyCentral Intelligence Agency (CIA) (CIA) coordinates the intelligence activities of coordinates the intelligence activities of certain government departments and agencies; certain government departments and agencies; collects, correlates, and evaluates intelligence collects, correlates, and evaluates intelligence information relating to national security; and information relating to national security; and makes recommendations to the makes recommendations to the United States National Security CouncilUnited States National Security Council within the within the Executive Office of the PresidentExecutive Office of the President. .



Independent AgenciesIndependent Agencies The The United States Environmental Protection AgencyUnited States Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) works with state and local governments (EPA) works with state and local governments throughout the United States to control and abate throughout the United States to control and abate pollution in the air and water and to deal with pollution in the air and water and to deal with problems related to solid waste, problems related to solid waste, pesticidespesticides, radiation, , radiation, and toxic substances. EPA sets and enforces and toxic substances. EPA sets and enforces standards for air and water quality, evaluates the standards for air and water quality, evaluates the impact of pesticides and chemical substances, and impact of pesticides and chemical substances, and manages the "manages the "SuperfundSuperfund" program for cleaning toxic " program for cleaning toxic waste sites waste sites



Independent AgenciesIndependent Agencies The The Federal Communications CommissionFederal Communications Commission (FCC) is (FCC) is

charged with regulating interstate and international charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable. It licenses radio and television broadcast and cable. It licenses radio and television broadcast stations, assigns radio frequencies, and enforces stations, assigns radio frequencies, and enforces regulations designed to ensure that cable rates are regulations designed to ensure that cable rates are reasonable. The FCC regulates common carriers, reasonable. The FCC regulates common carriers, such as telephone and telegraph companies, as well such as telephone and telegraph companies, as well as wireless telecommunications service providers. as wireless telecommunications service providers.



Independent AgenciesIndependent Agencies The The Federal Trade CommissionFederal Trade Commission (FTC) (FTC)

enforces federal enforces federal antitrustantitrust and and consumer protectionconsumer protection laws by investigating laws by investigating complaints against individual companies complaints against individual companies initiated by consumers, businesses, initiated by consumers, businesses, congressional inquiries, or reports in the congressional inquiries, or reports in the media. The commission seeks to ensure that media. The commission seeks to ensure that the nation's markets function competitively by the nation's markets function competitively by eliminating unfair or deceptive practices. eliminating unfair or deceptive practices.



Independent AgenciesIndependent Agencies The The National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration

(NASA) was established in 1958 to run the (NASA) was established in 1958 to run the American American space programspace program. It placed the first . It placed the first American satellites and astronauts in orbit, and it American satellites and astronauts in orbit, and it launched the Apollo spacecraft that landed men on launched the Apollo spacecraft that landed men on the moon in 1969. Today, NASA conducts research the moon in 1969. Today, NASA conducts research aboard earth-orbiting satellites and interplanetary aboard earth-orbiting satellites and interplanetary probes, explores new concepts in advanced probes, explores new concepts in advanced aerospace technology, and operates the U.S. fleet of aerospace technology, and operates the U.S. fleet of manned space shuttle orbiters. manned space shuttle orbiters.



Independent AgenciesIndependent Agencies The The United States Postal ServiceUnited States Postal Service is operated is operated

by an autonomous public corporation that by an autonomous public corporation that replaced the Post Office Department in 1971. replaced the Post Office Department in 1971. The Postal Service is responsible for the The Postal Service is responsible for the collection, transportation, and delivery of the collection, transportation, and delivery of the mails, and for the operation of thousands of mails, and for the operation of thousands of local post offices across the country. It also local post offices across the country. It also provides international mail service through provides international mail service through the Universal Postal Union and other the Universal Postal Union and other agreements with foreign countries. agreements with foreign countries.



Regulatory CommissionsRegulatory Commissions

Independent agencies that make rules and bring Independent agencies that make rules and bring violators to court.violators to court.

Commission heads are appointed by the president Commission heads are appointed by the president and approved by Congress to serve long terms.and approved by Congress to serve long terms.

Commissions are independent in order to freely Commissions are independent in order to freely do their jobs.do their jobs.




Regulatory Commissions Regulatory Commissions (continued)(continued)

Examples: Examples: Federal Election CommissionFederal Election Commission Consumer Product Safety CommissionConsumer Product Safety Commission Securities and Exchange CommissionSecurities and Exchange Commission National Labor Relations BoardNational Labor Relations Board




The Federal BureaucracyThe Federal Bureaucracy

Formed by the departments and agencies of Formed by the departments and agencies of the executive branchthe executive branch

Almost 3 million workersAlmost 3 million workers Operates under heavy rules and regulations Operates under heavy rules and regulations

that create “red tape” but allow the executive that create “red tape” but allow the executive branch to functionbranch to function




Question: What are some of the independent agencies and regulatory commissions of the federal government?

SECTION 4

Commission on Civil Rights

Farm Credit Administration

Federal Election Commission

Consumer Product Safety Commission

Securities and Exchange Commission

National Labor Relations Board

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Small Business Administration

Office of Personnel Management

General Services Administration

Independent Agencies

Regulatory Commissions



Chapter 6 Wrap-Up

1. What is the vice president’s role in the government?2. What limitation did the Twenty-second Amendment

place on the terms of the presidency?3. What is the purpose of the State of the Union Address?4. How does the president participate in the legislative

process?5. How does the Executive Office of the President serve

the president?6. What other position do the executive department

heads hold?7. Why are the independent agencies separate from the

executive departments?

1. What is the vice president’s role in the government?2. What limitation did the Twenty-second Amendment

place on the terms of the presidency?3. What is the purpose of the State of the Union Address?4. How does the president participate in the legislative

process?5. How does the Executive Office of the President serve

the president?6. What other position do the executive department

heads hold?7. Why are the independent agencies separate from the

executive departments?

civics in practice holt holt, rinehart and winston1 the main idea the independent agencies and...

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