well as programs that had been handled by six other agencies. The

department establishes policy for and administers more than 150 federal aid-

to-education programs, including student loan programs, programs for

migrant workers, vocational programs, and special programs for the

handicapped. The Department of Education also partially supports the

American Printing House for the Blind; Gallaudet University, established to

provide a liberal higher education for deaf persons; the National Technical

Institute for the Deaf, part of the Rochester (New York) Institute of

Technology, designed to educate deaf students within a college campus, but

planned primarily for hearing students; and Howard University in

Washington, D.C., a comprehensive university which accepts students of all

races, but concentrates on educating black Americans.

DEPARTAMENT OF ENERGY

Growing concern with the nation's energy problems in the 1970s prompted

Congress to create the Department of Energy (DOE). The department took over

the functions of several government agencies already engaged in the energy

field. Staff offices within the DOE are responsible for the research,

development and demonstration of energy technology; energy conservation;

civilian and military use of nuclear energy; regulation of energy

production and use; pricing and allocation of oil;

and a central energy data collection and analysis program. The department

protects the nation's environment by setting standards to minimize the

harmful effects of energy production. For example, DOE conducts

environmental and health-related research, such as studies of energy-

related pollutants and their effects on biological systems.

DEPARTAMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) probably directly touches

the lives of more Americans than any other federal agency. Its largest

component, the Social Security Administration, pools contributions from

employers and employees to pay benefits to workers and their families who

have retired, died or become disabled. Social Security contributions help

pay medical bills for those 65 years and older as well, under a program

called Medicare. Through a separate program, called Medicaid, HHS provides

grants to states to help pay the medical costs of the poor. HHS also

administers a network of medical research facilities through the National

Institutes of Health, and the Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health

Administration. Other HHS agencies ensure the safety and effectiveness of

the nation's food supply and drugs, work to prevent outbreaks of

communicable diseases, and provide health services to the nation's American

Indian and native Alaskan populations. In cooperation with the states, HHS

operates the principal federal welfare program for the poor, called Aid to

Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) manages programs that

assist community development and help provide affordable housing for the

nation. Fair housing laws, administered by HUD, are designed to ensure that

individuals and families can buy a dwelling without being subjected to

housing discrimination. HUD directs mortgage insurance programs that help

families become homeowners, and a rent-subsidy program for low-income

families who otherwise could not afford decent housing. In addition, it

operates programs that aid neighborhood rehabilitation, preserve urban

centers from blight and encourage the development of new communities. HUD

also protects the home buyer in the marketplace and fosters programs to

stimulate the housing industry.

DEPARTMENT OFTHE INTERIOR

As the nation's principal conservation agency, the Department of the

Interior has responsibility for most of the federally owned public lands

and natural resources in the United States. The Fish and Wildlife Service,

for example, administers 442 wildlife refuges, 150 waterfowl production

areas, and a network of wildlife laboratories and fish hatcheries. The

National Park Service administers more than 340 national parks and scenic

monuments, riverways, seashores, recreation areas and historic sites.

Through the Bureau of Land Management, the department oversees the land and

resources—from timber and grazing to oil production and recreation—on

millions of hectares of public land located primarily in the West. The

Bureau of Reclamation manages scarce water resources in the semiarid

western United States. The department regulates mining in the United

States, assesses mineral resources, and has major responsibility for

American Indians living on reservations. Internationally, the department

administers programs in U.S. territories such as the Virgin Islands, Guam,

American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and Palau, and provides

funding for development to the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of

Micronesia.

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

The attorney general, the chief law officer of the federal government, is

in charge of the Department of Justice. The department represents the U.S.

government in legal matters and courts of law, and renders legal advice and

opinions, upon request, to the president and to the heads of the executive

departments. Its Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the principle law

enforcement body, and its Immigration and Naturalization Service

administers immigration laws. A major agency within the department is the

Drug Enforcement Administration, (DEA), which administers narcotics and

controlled substances laws, and tracks down major illicit drug trafficking

organizations. The Justice Department also gives aid to local police

forces. In addition, the department directs U.S. district attorneys and

marshals throughout the country, supervises federal prisons and other penal

institutions, and investigates and reports to the president on petitions

for paroles and pardons. The Justice Department is also linked to INTERPOL,

the International Criminal Police Organization, charged with promoting

mutual assistance between law enforcement agencies in 146 countries.

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

The Department of Labor promotes the welfare of wage earners in the United

States, helps improve working conditions and fosters good relations between

labor and management. It administers more than 130 federal labor laws

through such agencies as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration

(OSHA), the Employment Standards Administration and the Mine Safety and

Health Administration. Among its responsibilities are: guaranteeing

workers' rights to safe and healthy working conditions; establishing

minimum hourly wages and overtime pay; prohibiting employment

discrimination; and providing for unemployment insurance and compensation

for on-the-job injury. It also protects workers' pension rights, sponsors

job training programs and helps workers find jobs. Its Bureau of Labor

Statistics monitors and reports changes in employment, prices and other

national economic measurements. For job seekers, the department makes

special efforts to help older workers, youths, minorities, women and the

handicapped.

DEPARTAMENT OF STATE

The Department of State advises the president, who has overall

responsibility for formulating and executing the foreign policy of the

United States. The department assesses American overseas interests, makes

recommendations on policy and future action, and takes necessary steps to

carry out established policy. It maintains contacts and relations between

the United States and foreign countries, advises the president on

recognition of new foreign countries and governments, negotiates treaties

and agreements with foreign nations, and speaks for the United States in

the United Nations and in more than 50 other major international

organizations. As-of 1988, the department supervised 141 embassies and 113

missions or consulates in foreign nations.

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

The Department of Transportation (DOT) was created in 1966 by consolidating

land, sea and air transportation functions scattered thoughout eight

separate departments and agencies. DOT establishes the nation's overall

transportation policy through nine operating units that encompass highway

planning, development and construction; urban mass transit; railroads;

civilian aviation; and the safety of waterways, ports, highways, and oil

and gas pipelines. For example, the Federal Aviation Administration

operates more than 350 air traffic control facilities across the country;

the Federal Highway Administration is responsible for the 68,000-kilometer

interstate highway system; the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration establishes safety and fuel economy standards for motor

vehicles; and the Maritime Administration operates the U.S. merchant marine

fleet. The U.S. Coast Guard, the nation's primary maritime law enforcement

and licensing agency, conducts search and rescue missions at sea, combats

drug smuggling and works to prevent oil spills and ocean pollution.

DEPARTMENT OFTHE TREASURY

The Department of the Treasury is responsible for serving the fiscal and

monetary needs of the nation. The department performs four basic functions:

formulating financial, tax and fiscal policies; serving as financial agent

for the U.S. government; providing specialized law enforcement services;

and manufacturing coins and currency. The Treasury Department reports to

Congress and the president on the financial condition of the government and

the national economy. It regulates the sale of alcohol, tobacco and

firearms in interstate and foreign commerce; supervises the printing of

stamps for the U.S. Postal Service; operates the Secret Service, which

protects the president, the vice president, their families, and visiting

dignitaries and heads of state; suppresses counterfeiting of U.S. currency

and securities; and administers the Customs Service, which regulates and

taxes the flow of goods into the country. The department includes the

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Treasury official who

executes the laws governing the operation of approximately 4,600 banks; and

the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which administers tax laws—the source

of most of the federal government's revenue.

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

The Department of Veterans Affairs, established as an independent agency in

1930 and elevated to Cabinet level in 1988, dispenses benefits and services

to eligible veterans of U.S. military service and their dependents. The

medicine and surgery department provides hospital and nursing home care,

and outpatient medical and dental services through 172 medical centers, 16

retirement homes, 228 clinics and 116 nursing homes in the United States,

Puerto Rico and the Philippines. It also supports veterans under care in

hospitals and nursing homes in 35 states. The veterans benefits department

oversees claims for disability, pensions, specially adapted housing and

other services. This department also administers education programs for

veterans, and provides housing credit assistance to eligible veterans and

active-duty service personnel. The memorial affairs department administers

the National Cemetery System, providing burial services, headstones and

markers to eligible veterans and their spouses within specially designated

cemeteries throughout the United States.

THE INDEPENDENT AGENCIES

The executive departments are the major operating units of | the federal

government, but there are many other agencies which have important

responsibilities for keeping the government and the economy working

smoothly. These are often called independent agencies, since they are not

part of the executive departments. The nature and purpose of these agencies

vary widely. Some are regulatory groups, with powers to supervise certain

sectors of the economy. Others provide special services, either to the

government or to the people. In most cases, the agencies have been created

by Congress to deal with matters that have become too complex for the scope

of ordinary legislation. The Interstate Commerce Commission, for example,

was established by Congress in 1887 to curb the growing power of the

railroads. In recent years, however, a trend toward deregulation of the

economy has altered the functions of many federal regulatory bodies. Among

the most important independent agencies are the following:

action is the principal federal agency for administering domestic volunteer

service programs to meet basic human needs, and to support the self-help

efforts of poor individuals and communities. Some of action's programs are

Foster Grandparents, offering older Americans opportunities for close

relationships with needy children; Volunteers in Service to America

(VISTA), which provides volunteers to work in poor communities; and Student

Community Service Projects, which encourages students to volunteer in their

communities as part of their education.

central intelligence agency (cia) coordinates intelligence activities of

certain government departments and agencies; collects, correlates and

evaluates intelligence information relating to national security; and makes

recommendations to the National Security Council.

environmental protection agency (epa), founded in 1970, works with state

and local governments throughout the United States to control and abate

pollution in the air and water, and to deal with the problems of solid

waste, pesticides, radiation and toxic substances. EPA sets and enforces

standards for air and water quality, evaluates the impact of pesticides and

chemical substances, and manages the so-called "Superfund" program for

cleaning toxic waste sites.

the federal communications commission licenses the operation of radio and

television stations and regulates interstate telephone and telegraph

services. It sets rates for interstate communications services, assigns

radio frequencies, and administers international communications treaties.

the federal reserve system supervises the private banking system of the

United States. It regulates the volume of credit and money in circulation.

The Federal Reserve performs many of the functions of central banks in

other countries, such as issuing paper currency; unlike central banks,

however, it does not act as the depository of the country's gold reserve.

the federal trade commission guards against trade abuses and unfair

business practices by conducting investigations and holding hearings on

complaints.

the general accounting office is an arm of the legislative branch that

oversees expenditures by the executive branch. It is headed by the

comptroller general of the United States. It settles or

adjusts—independently of the executive departments—all claims and demands

Страницы: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5