Administrative Agency

On the federal level, business and individual matters are addressed by such agencies as the FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION, SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION, Federal Trade Commission, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION, INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Interstate Commerce Commission, and Securities and Exchange Commission.

Governmental money matters are overseen and assisted by the GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, TREASURY DEPARTMENT, GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, and FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD.

Public services are handled by administrative agencies that include the DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, Environmental Protection Agency, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, Department of Interior, Immigration and Naturalization Service, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Work-related administrative agencies include the TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY, Office of Technology Assessment, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, National Labor Relations Board, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION, and Office of Personnel Management.

Police and military functions are served by the Central Intelligence Agency, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, Department of Justice, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL.

The administrative agency that directly affects the most U.S. citizens is the Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA collects contributions from workers and pays out cash benefits when a worker retires, dies, or becomes disabled.

As the needs of the nation change, Congress continues to establish new agencies and abolish existing agencies. The Interstate Commerce Commission, for instance, was established in 1887 to regulate carriers engaged in the transportation of interstate and foreign commerce in the United States. Over time, many of the commission's functions were transferred to other agencies or otherwise abandoned, and Congress abolished the commission in 1995. A more recent example of the development of an administrative agency is the creation of the HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT in 2002 to prevent terrorist attacks in the United States and to reduce the country's vulnerability to TERRORISM in the aftermath of the SEPTEMBER 11TH ATTACKS.