Executive Agencies
Definition
Executive agencies are units of government under the direct control of the President, responsible for carrying out certain functions assigned by law.
Analogy
Imagine executive agencies as employees in a large company where the president is CEO. The CEO gives them tasks to do (laws to enforce), they report directly back to him/her with their progress.
Related terms
Cabinet Departments: These are major administrative units with responsibility for a broad area of government operations. Departmental status usually indicates a permanent national interest in a particular governmental function such as defense or agriculture.
Independent Regulatory Commissions: These are federal agencies created by an act of Congress that are independent of executive departments though they are considered part of the executive branch. They regulate some sector of economy with oversight from Congress.
Government Corporations: These are corporations within the public sector that operate on commercial basis while remaining under public ownership - think USPS!
"Executive Agencies" appears in:
Study guides (1)
Practice Questions (3)
- How might congressional oversight over executive agencies change if committee assignments were random rather than based on expertise?
- Why has congressional oversight over executive agencies endured?
- What is one way that executive agencies are checked by the judiciary?
Resources
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