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
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