Independent Executive Agencies of US Government

Independent Executive Agencies of US Government Independent executive agencies of the U.S. federal government are those that, while technically part of the executive branch, are self-governed and not directly controlled by the President. Among other duties, these independent agencies and commissions are responsible for the vitally important federal rulemaking process. In general, independent agencies are tasked with administering laws and federal regulations that apply to specific areas such as the environment, social security, homeland security, education, and veteran affairs. Responsibilities and the Chain of Command Expected to be experts in the areas they manage, most independent agencies are headed by a presidentially-appointed board or commission, while a few, such as the EPA, are headed by a single presidentially-appointed administrator or director. Falling within the executive branch of government, independent agencies are overseen by Congress, but operate with more autonomy than federal agencies headed by Cabinet members such as the Departments of State or Treasury which must report directly to the president. While independent agencies do not answer directly to the president, their department heads are appointed by the president, with the approval of the Senate. However, unlike the department heads of executive branch agencies, such as those making up the president’s Cabinet, who can be removed simply because of their political party affiliation, heads of independent executive agencies may be removed only in cases of poor performance or unethical activities. In addition, the organizational structure independent executive agencies allows them to create their own rules and performance standards, deal with conflicts, and discipline employees who violate agency regulations.  Ã‚   Creation of Independent Executive Agencies For the first 73 years of its history, the young American republic operated with only four government agencies: the Departments of War, State, Navy, and Treasury, and the Office of the Attorney General. As more territories gained statehood and the nation’s population grew, the people’s demand for more services and protections from the government grew as well. Facing these new government responsibilities, Congress created the Department of the Interior in 1849, the Department of Justice in 1870, and the Post Office Department (now the U.S. Postal Service) in 1872. The end of the Civil War in 1865 ushered in a tremendous growth of business and industry in America. Seeing a need to ensure fair and ethical competition and control fees, Congress began creating independent economic regulatory agencies or â€Å"commissions.† The first of these, the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), was created in 1887 to regulate the railroad (and later the trucking) industries to ensure fair rates and competition and to prevent rate discrimination. Farmers and merchants had complained to lawmakers that railroads were charging them exorbitant fees to carry their goods to market.   Congress eventually abolished the ICC in 1995, dividing its powers and duties among new, more tightly defined commissions. Modern independent regulatory commissions patterned after the ICC include the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Independent Executive Agencies Today Today, independent executive regulatory agencies and commissions are responsible for creating the many federal regulations intended to enforce the laws passed by Congress. For example, the Federal Trade Commission creates regulations to implement and enforce a wide variety of consumer protection laws such as the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act, the Truth in Lending Act, and the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act. Most independent regulatory agencies have the authority to conduct investigations, impose fines or other civil penalties, and otherwise, limit the activities of parties proven to be in violation of federal regulations. For example, the Federal Trade Commission often halts deceptive advertising practices and forces business to issue refunds to consumers. Their general independence from politically motivated interference or influence gives the regulatory agencies the flexibility to respond rapidly to complex cases of abusive activities. What Sets Independent Executive Agencies Apart? Independent agencies differ from the other executive branch departments and agencies mainly in their makeup, function, and the degree to which they are controlled by the president. Unlike most executive branch agencies which are overseen by a single secretary, administrator, or director appointed by the president, independent agencies are usually controlled by a commission or board made up of from five to seven people who share power equally. While the commission or board members are appointed by the president with the approval of the Senate, they typically serve staggered terms, often lasting longer than a four-year presidential term. As a result, the same president will rarely get to appoint all of the commissioners of any given independent agency. In addition, federal statutes limit the president’s authority to remove commissioners to cases of incapacity, neglect of duty, malfeasance, or â€Å"other good cause.† Commissioners of independent agencies cannot be removed based simply on their political party affiliation. In fact, most independent agencies are required by law to have a  bipartisan membership of their commissions or boards, thus preventing the president from filling vacancies exclusively with members of their own political party. In contrast, the president has the power remove the individual secretaries, administrators, or directors of the regular executive agencies at will and without showing cause. Under Article 1, Section 6, Clause 2 of the Constitution, members of Congress cannot serve on the commissions or boards of independent agencies during their terms in office. Agency Examples A few examples of hundreds of independent executive federal agencies not already mentioned include: Central Intelligence Agency (CIA): The CIA provides intelligence regarding potential threats to national security to the president and senior U.S. policymakers.Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC): Protects the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from a vast array of consumer products.Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board: Oversees the nuclear weapons complex operated by the U.S. Department of Energy.Federal Communications Commission (FCC): Regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable.Federal Election Commission (FEC): Administers and enforces the campaign finance laws in the United States.Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): Administers the national flood insurance and disaster relief programs. Works with first responders to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all forms of hazards.Federal Reserve Board of Governors: Functions as the central bank of the United States. The Federal Reserve System (the â€Å"FED†) oversees the nation’s monetary and credit policy and works ensure the safety and stability of the nation’s banking and financial system.

The History of the Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls

The History of the Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls During the 1983 Christmas season, parents in the United States frantically searched everywhere for the coveted Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. While many stores had extremely long waiting lists, others had a first-come first-serve policy, which led to shocking, vicious fights between potential buyers. By the end of the year, approximately three million Cabbage Patch Kids dolls had been adopted. The Cabbage Patch Kids frenzy of 1983 was to be the first of many such holiday-season, toy frenzies in the years to come. What Is a Cabbage Patch Kids Doll? In 1983, a Cabbage Patch Kids doll was a 16-inch doll, usually with a plastic head, a fabric body, and yarn hair (unless it was bald). What made them so desirable, besides the fact that they were huggable, was both their supposed uniqueness and their adoptability. It was claimed that each Cabbage Patch Kids doll was unique. Different head molds, eye shapes and colors, hair styles and colors, and clothing options did make each one look different than the other. This, plus the fact that inside each Cabbage Patch Kids box came a birth certificate with that particular kids first and middle name on it, made the dolls as individual as the kids who wanted to adopt them. The official Cabbage Patch Kids story tells of a young boy named Xavier Roberts, who was led by a Bunnybee through a waterfall, down a long tunnel, and out into a magical land where a cabbage patch grew little children. When he was asked to help, Roberts agreed to find loving homes for these Cabbage Patch Kids. The real Xavier Roberts, who invented the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls, had no trouble adopting out his dolls in 1983, for real kids around the country vied to be one of the few whose parents were able to buy them one. The Real Story Behind the Cabbage Patch Dolls The real history of Cabbage Patch Kids dolls had little to do with Bunnybees; instead, the real story began with 21-year-old Xavier Roberts, who, when he was an art student, came up with the beginning doll idea in 1976. By 1978, Roberts joined up with five of his school friends and started a company called the Original Appalachian Artworks, Inc., which sold the entirely plush, hand-made Little People dolls (the name was to change later). Roberts would travel to arts and craft shows to sell his dolls, which already had the signature adoption aspect to them. The dolls were a hit even with the first buyers and soon orders started to pour in. By 1981, Roberts and his dolls were being written about in many magazines, even appearing on the cover of Atlantic Weekly. In 1982, Roberts and his friends were unable to keep up with the orders and thus signed a contract with Coleco, a toy manufacturer, who could mass produce the dolls, which were now to have plastic heads and be called Cabbage Patch Kids. By the following year, Coleco couldnt keep up either. Kids were demanding the doll, causing a buying frenzy at the end of 1983. A Few Things You Dont Know About Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls Later, when Hasbro took over manufacturing (1989 to 1994), the dolls shrunk down to 14 inches tall. Mattel, which manufactured Cabbage Patch Kids from 1994 to today also kept the smaller, 14-inch size. On the left-side of every dolls tush, you can find the signature of Cabbage Patch Kids inventor, Xavier Roberts. However, what you might not know is that just about every year the dolls were made, the color of the signature changed. For instance, in 1983, the signature was black but in 1993 it was forest green. If you are an avid fan of Cabbage Patch Kids, you can go visit the Babyland General Hospital and see the birth of a doll. Located in Cleveland, Georgia, the large, Southern-style house holds thousands of Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. Be forewarned, it is highly unlikely that you could bring kids here and escape without buying them a doll. Do you have a Cabbage Patch Kids doll in your garage that youre hoping will eventually bring you lots of money? Check out the Doll Collecting site at About.com to find out if what you have is worth anything.