Major Independent Agencies

There are several administrative divisions of the government whose job it is to enforce and administer laws and regulations. Because provisions for these agencies were not outlined in the Constitution, they are considered independent extensions of the U.S. government. Here is a list of some of the major agencies.

• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
• Office of Public Affairs (20505)
•  Established: 1947
•  Director of Central Intelligence: Michael V. Hayden
• The CIA conducts counterintelligence activities and other functions related to foreign intelligence and national security, as directed by the President and National Security Council. The Director reports to the Director of National Intelligence.

• U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
• 624 9th St., NW (20425)
•  Established: 1957
•  Chair: Gerald A. Reynolds
• The commission investigates complaints of discrimination and denial of equal protection of laws, evaluates Federal laws concerning discrimination and denial of equal protection, and issues public service messages that discourage discrimination.

• Consumer Product Safety Commission
• 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Md. 20814
•  Established: Oct. 27, 1972
•  Chair: Nancy A. Nord (acting)
• The CPSC aims to reduce the risk of injuries and deaths from consumer products by developing and enforcing safety standards, recalling defective products, and researching potentially hazardous products.

• Corporation for National and Community Service
• 1201 New York Ave., NW (20525)
•  Established: Sept. 1993
•  CEO: David Eisner

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW (20460)
•  Established: Dec. 2, 1970
•  Administrator: Stephen Johnson
• The EPA mission is to protect human health and the natural environment — air, water, and land — by making and enforcing environmental laws.

• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
• 1801 L. St., NW (20507)4
•  Members: 5
•  Established: July 2, 1965
•  Chair: Naomi C. Earp
• The EEOC promotes equal opportunity in employment by enforcing federal civil-rights laws and through education and technical assistance.

• Farm Credit Administration (FCA)
• 1501 Farm Credit Dr., McLean, Va. 22102-5090
•  Members: 13
•  Established: March 27, 1933
•  Chair: Nancy C. Pellett

• Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
• 445 12th Street, SW (20554)
•  Established: 1934
•  Chair: Kevin J. Martin

• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
• 550 17th St., NW (20429-9990)
•  Established: June 16, 1933
•  Chair: Sheila C. Bair
• The FDIC insures banks deposits so that people's money is protected if a bank fails. The FDIC also supervises 6,000 banks and financial institutions and manages bank failures to minimize complications.

• Federal Election Commission (FEC)
• 999 E St., NW (20463)
•  Members: 6
•  Established: 1975
•  Chair: Michael E. Toner
• The FEC was created uphold the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), which regulates the financing of federal elections.

• Federal Maritime Commission
• 800 North Capitol St., NW (20573-0001)
•  Members: 5
•  Established: Aug. 12, 1961
•  Chair: Steven R. Blust

• Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS)
• 2100 K St., NW (20427)
•  Established: 1947
•  Director: Arthur F. Rosenfeld

• Federal Reserve System (FRS), Board of Governors of
• 20th St. & Constitution Ave., NW (20551)
•  Members: 7
•  Established: Dec. 23, 1913
•  Chair: Ben Bernanke
• The Federal Reserve System, which includes 12 regional Federal reserve banks that are supervised by a Federal Reserve Board, is the central bank of the United States. Its original mission was to ensure the country's financial system remained stable. Its role has expanded and now includes regulating credit conditions and loan rates, regulating banks, and advising the government on the country's payments system.

• Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
• 600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW (20580)
•  Members: 5
•  Established: Sept. 26, 1914
•  Chair: Deborah Platt Majoras
• The FTC enforces several federal antitrust and consumer-protection laws. The Commission makes sure the nation's businesses are competitive, healthy, free of unfair restrictions, and are fair to consumers.

• General Services Administration (GSA)
• 1800 F St., NW (20405)
•  Established: July 1, 1949
•  Administrator: Lurita Alexis Doan

• U.S. International Trade Commission
• 500 E St., SW (20436)
•  Members: 6
•  Established: Sept. 8, 1916
•  Chair: Stephen Koplan

• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
• Public Communications and Inquiries Management Office, NASA Headquarters, Suite 1M32 (20546-0001)
•  Established: 1958
•  Administrator: Michael Griffin
• NASA conducts research and develops programs in the areas of space exploration, artificial satellites, and rocketry. NASA's best known projects are the Space Shuttle, the Hubble Space Telescope, the Galileo mission to Jupiter, and the agency's aeronautics research.

• National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
• 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, Md. 20740-6001
•  Established: Oct. 19, 1984. NARA is the successor agency to the National Archives Establishment, which was created in 1934 and later incorporated into the General Services Administration as the National Archives and Records Service in 1949.
•  Archivist of the U.S.: Allen Weinstein

• National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities
• 1100 Pennsylvania Ave., NW (20506)
•  Established: 1965
•  Chairs: National Endowment for the Arts, Chair, Dana Gioia; National Endowment for the Humanities, Chair, Bruce Cole
• The foundation supports the arts by funding museums, artists, and arts-related programs for schools and communities.

• Director of National Intelligence (DNI), Office of
• Washington, DC (20511)
•  Established: Dec. 2004
•  Director: John D. Negroponte
•  Deputy: Gen. Michael Hayden
• The position of Director of National Intelligence was created by Congress in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001. The National Intelligence Reform Act was passed by Congress in Dec. 2004, formally establishing the post. The director oversees the Central Intelligence Agency and 14 smaller intelligence agencies and will determine what information reaches the president. It is a cabinet-level position.

• National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
• 1099 14th St., NW (20570-0001)
•  Members: 5
•  Established: July 5, 1935
•  Chair: Robert J. Battista
• The NLRB enforces the National Labor Relations Act, which is the law that oversees relations between unions and employers in the private sector. It holds elections to determine if employees want to unionize and investigates and fixes unfair labor practices by employers and unions.

• National Mediation Board
• 1301 K St., NW, Suite 250 East (20005-7011)
•  Established: June 21, 1934
•  Chair: Edward J. Fitzmaurice, Jr.

• National Science Foundation (NSF)
• 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va. 22230
•  Established: 1950
•  Director: Arden L. Bement
• The NSF promotes science and engineering through research and education programs.

• National Transportation Safety Board
• 490 L'Enfant Plaza, SW (20594)
•  Members: 5
•  Established: April 1, 1967, as an independent agency supported by the Dept. of Transportation. Ties with Dept. of Transportation officially ended in 1975.
•  Chair: Mark V. Rosenker
• The NTSB investigates every civil aviation accident in the United States, as well as railroad, highway, and marine accidents. The board also makes safety recommendations aimed at preventing future accidents.

• Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
• Washington, DC 20555
•  Members: 5
•  Established: Jan. 19, 1975
•  Chair: Dale E. Klein
• The NRC licenses and regulates the nonmilitary use of nuclear energy to protect the public and the environment.

• Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
• 1900 E St., NW (20415)
•  Established: Jan. 1, 1979
•  Director: Linda M. Springer

• U.S. Postal Service
• 475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW (20260-0010)
•  Established: In 1775 with the appointment of Benjamin Franklin as the first postmaster general under the Continental Congress. In 1970 became independent agency headed by 11-member board of governors.
•  Postmaster General: John E. Potter

• Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
• 100 F St., NE (20549)
•  Members: 5
•  Established: July 2, 1934
•  Chair: Christopher Cox
• The SEC administers federal securities laws. These laws protect investors in securities markets and ensure that investors have access to information about publicly traded securities. The Commission also regulates firms engaged in the purchase or sale of securities, people who provide investment advice, and investment companies.

• Selective Service System (SSS)
• National Headquarters, Arlington, Va., 22209-2425
•  Established: Sept. 16, 1940
•  Director: William A. Chatfield

• Small Business Administration (SBA)
• 409 3rd St., SW (20416)
•  Established: July 30, 1953
•  Administrator: Hector V. Barreto
• The SBA provides financial, technical, and management assistance to help Americans start, run, and grow their businesses.

• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
• 400 West Summit Hill Drive, Knoxville, Tenn. 37902-1499
•  Members of Board of Directors: 3
•  Established: May 18, 1933
•  Chairman: William B. Sansom

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