Chapter 15 Sections 4-5

Independent Agencies

• Located outside the cabinets

• 150 agencies

• NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)

• Similar to number of agencies in Dept of Defense

Independent Agencies

• Social Security Administration

• Largest agency

• Employs more that 65,000 employees

• Largest budget

Why do They exist

• General Services Administration

• Building and operating public buildings

• Congress gave independent status

• Protect from influence of partisan and pressure politics

• Most are only “independent”

• They are not located in the 15 cabinet dept.

• Not independent of the President or executive branch

Independent Executive Agencies

• NSA, GSA, EPA the three largest

• Set up just like the cabinets

• Only big difference is that they do not have cabinet status

Independent Regulatory Commissions

• Largely beyond the reach of the presidential direction and control

• 10 agencies

• Board of commissioners

•5-7 members appointed by the Pres w/ Senate consent

•Long terms between 4-14 years

Independent Regulatory Commissions

• Quasi-legislative & quasi- judicial bodies

• Have certain legislative and judicial like powers

• When they make rules and regulations

Government Corporations

• w/in control of executive branch

• Set up by congress to carryout business like activities

• Bank of the United States 1791

•Little use until WWI

•Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Amtrak

The Civil Service

• Employees who perform administrative work for the govt

• President appoints highest ranking jobs

• Cabinet departments, independent agencies, and US embassies

Civil Service

• The Pendleton Act 1883

• Laid foundation for present federal civil service system

• Two categories

• Classified, Unclassified

•All hiring for classified based on merit.

•90% of employees are in the merit system

Pay and Benefits

• Women hold half of white-collar federal jobs

• But only 10% of highest paid positions

• Congress sets pay for all federal employees

• Except for the United States Post Office

• Lower level pay is about the same as the private sector

• Upper level government cannot compete

Political Activities

• Hatch Act of 1939

• Prevents exceedingly harmful political activities

• Allowed federal workers to vote in elections

• Cannot take part in partisan activities

• Federal Employees Political Activities Act of 1993

• New Hatch

• Voting, help register, contribute money to candidates

• Participate in campaigns and hold office