US Bureaucracy: Lavonia Duncan, Joanna Huo, Hailey Lam, Marcy Meetoo, Dominik Sochon

Department of Treasury
Founded: September 2nd, 1789
Leader: Jack Lew
-76th U.S. Secretary of Treasury
- Previously Chief of Staff
Under What Circumstances: The Department of Treasury was first created in the turmoil of the American Revolution to manage government revenue.
Article: “Treasury Department gives large employers two-month reprieve on Obamacare tax forms”

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jan/3/obamacare-tax-forms-treasury-department-gives-larg/?page=all

Department of Agriculture
Founded: May 15th, 1862
USDA leader: Tom Vilsack 30th Secretary of USDA (January 21, 2009)
Under What Circumstances: 1862- Lincoln created the USDA
The Hatch Act of 1887 transformed the Bureau of Agriculture, which was established in 1862 by Lincoln, into the Department of Agriculture and made the Commissioner a Secretary of Agriculture and a member of the president's cabinet. This act opened agriculture in the United States to the whims of Congress and lobbyists and was the beginning of an era of greatly expanded federal powers. Originally an organization devoted to research, today the USDA governs the way millions of Americans are fed daily, controls what food is available for our purchase, and decides what crops receive federal funding.
Article: U.S opends spigot after Farmers Claim Discrimination
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/26/us/farm-loan-bias-claims-often-unsupported-cost-us-millions.html?_r=0 → Pigford Settlement

Department of Housing and Urban Development
Founded: September 9, 1965
Under What Circumstances: It was developed as part of President Johnson’s “Great Society” plan to develop and execute policies in housing and metropolises
Leadership: Julian Castro (U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development)
Article: “HUD and Veterans Affairs issue $5.9M grant for homeless Native American veterans”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jan/8/hud-and-veterans-affairs-issue-59m-grant-homeless-/

Minority Business Development Agency
Founded: March 5,1969

Under What Circumstances: It was established by President Richard M Nixon to recognize the minority business enterprise and the impact of the businesses on the community.
Leadership: Leocadia J. Zak ( Director), Peggy Philbin ( Deputy Director), Clark Jennings ( Chief Staff)
Article: New Commerce Department Data Shows that Minority Entrepreneurship is Growing
http://www.mbda.gov/pressroom/press-releases/new-commerce-department-data-shows-minority-entrepreneurship-growing

USDA AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)
Founded: March 14th 1977
Historical Context: The Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (HMSA) was signed in 1958 requiring that the government only purchase livestock that had been slaughtered humanely, but did not directly require it of industry. In 1978 it amended the FMIA by requiring that all meat inspected by FSIS for use as human food be produced from livestock slaughtered by humane methods.
- Draws authority from the Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906, Poultry Products Inspection Act of 1957 and the Egg Products Inspection Act of 1970.
Leadership: Brian Ronholm - Secretary for Food Safety
Article: Wegmans Food Markets Recalls Chicken Products Produced Without Benefit Of Inspection
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/recalls-and-public-health-alerts/recall-case-archive/archive/2016/recall-003-2016-release

American Legion [Janice Im, Zion Kim, Simran Kaur, Ethan Chiu] U.S Bureaucracy Assignment

AP United States Government & Politics- Band 8

The American Legion [Janice Im, Zion Kim, Simran Kaur, Ethan Chiu]

Department/Agency Assignment

Central Intelligence Agency

• Agency founded 09/18/1947.
• Created when former president Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act into law, especially due to the unforeseen attack on Pearl Harbor and the need for coordinated intelligence efforts at the end of WW2.
• Current director: John O. Brennan
•  The topic of whether the Central Intelligence Agency’s actions claimed as “enhanced interrogation techniques” can be justified. The U.S. Department of Justice, however, has shown controversial investigations, many inquiring that the investigations cannot be considered to have been carried out with criminal liability. http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/262947-delusion-of-justice-on-cia-torture         

U.S. European Command

• This Department was founded in 1952
• The Joint Chiefs of Staff approved president Eisenhower’s declaration to command U.S. forces in Europe and make a staff under a deputy for joint U.S. military affairs leading to the creation of this agency
• The commander is U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove
• EUCOM provides update on the European Reassurance Initiative (defense and security of NATO allies). U.S European Command continues to support the defense and security of NATO allies and bolster the security and capacity of U.S. partners in Europe. http://www.eucom.mil/media-library/article/33026/eucom-provides-update-on-the-european-reassurance-initiative

Department of Transportation (DOT)

• It was established by an act of Congress (Public Law 89-670) on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967.
• Prior to the Department of Transportation, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Transportation administered the functions now associated with the DOT. In 1965, Najeeb Halaby, administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), suggested to President Lyndon B. Johnson that transportation be elevated to a cabinet-level post, and that the FAA be folded into the DOT.

• Leadership of the DOT is provided by the Secretary of Transportation, who is the principal adviser to the President in all matters relating to federal transportation programs. The Secretary is assisted by the Deputy Secretary in this role. The Office of the Secretary (OST) oversees the formulation of national transportation policy and promotes intermodal transportation. Other responsibilities range from negotiation and implementation of international transportation agreements, assuring the fitness of US airlines, enforcing airline consumer protection regulations, issuance of regulations to prevent alcohol and illegal drug misuse in transportation systems and preparing transportation legislation. Anthony R. Foxx, who resides in North Carolina, took office on July 2, 2013 and currently serves in office as the Secretary of Transportation today.
•  Secretary of Transportation Anthony R. Foxx pushes Congress to approve a long-term infrastructure bill and the Department of Transportation has warned that its Highway Trust Fund will run out of money unless run out of money unless Congress acts to replenish it. Also, transportation advocates have pushed for an increase in the gas tax to boost infrastructure funding, but the Obama administration has said it would prefer using revenue from taxing overseas corporate profits to pay for new construction projects. http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/233357-dot-chief-to-congress-think-big-on-infrastructure-funding

         

Congressional Budget Office

• Agency founded 07/12/1974.
• Created because conflict between the legislative and executive branches reached an all time high during the summer of 1974. Congress members objected to Nixon’s threats to withhold Congressional appropriations for programs inconsistent with his policies. It led to the enactment of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974.
• Current director: Keith Hall
• The CBO supports the cause of ObamaCare with the claim that it would save billions of dollars over a decade. http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/264696-cbo-bill-to-gut-obamacare-would-save-half-trillion-over-a-decade

     

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

• Founded in November of 2002 with the passage of the Homeland Security Act, opened doors on March 1, 2003
• Created by unifying 22 different federal departments and agencies into one collective department for homeland security, as a response to the September 11th attacks
• Current Secretary of Homeland Security: Jeh Johnson
• On November 30, 2015, the Obama Administration, influenced by the Paris attacks, strengthened the Visa Waiver Program in an effort to control who entered the United States. This change included accelerating the use of e-passports containing electronic chips, strengthening the DHS system, passing counter terrorism screening, modifying the electronic DHS system to help identify US-bound travelers who have previously traveled to terrorist-active countries, implementing a 60 day review process to identify cooperation issues with countries participating in the program, and expanding the use of fingerprinting and security photographs. http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2015/11/30/after-paris-attacks-obama-administration-strengthens-visa-waiver-program

 

The US Bureaucracy - William Lam, William Ng, Samuel Lee, Cerlina Lin

Department/Agency: The Library of Congress
Founded: 1800 (No exact date)
Historical Context: The Library of Congress was established by an act of Congress in 1800 when President John Adams signed a bill providing for the transfer of the seat of government from Philadelphia to the new capital city of Washington. The legislation described a reference library for Congress only, containing "such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress - and for putting up a suitable apartment for containing them therein…"
Leadership: David S. Mao (Librarian of Congress)
Media Article: "Library of Congress Anoint Graphic Novelist as Ambassador for Young People's Literature"
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/04/books/library-of-congress-anoints-graphic-novelist-as-ambassador-for-young-peoples-literature.html

Department/Agency: U.S. Department of Justice 

Founded: July 1, 1870 

Historical Context: Formed post civil war due to an increase in litigation as to deal with all criminal prosecutions and civil suits regarding the USA & to enforce the law and to seek punishment for those who break it 

Leadership: Attorney General (Loretta Lynch) 

Media Article: "United States Files Complaint Against Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche for Alleged Clean Air Act Violations" (http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/united-states-files-complaint-against-volkswagen-audi-and-porsche-alleged-clean-air-act)

Department/Agency: National Security Agency
Founded: November 4, 1952
Historical Context: NSA was established on November 4, 1952, by order of President Harry Truman. This decision followed the Nation's important work in breaking German and Japanese codes during WWII, which contributed to Allied success against the German U-Boat threat in the North Atlantic and victory at the Battle of Midway in the Pacific, and other contributions. President Truman's decision to establish NSA followed several studies on how best to continue this codebreaking work in the post-war era.
Leadership: Michael S Rogers & Richard H Ledgett Jr.
Media Article: "NSA ‘confident’ in intel-gathering authorities despite reforms"
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jan/8/nsa-confident-intel-gathering-authorities-despite-/

Department/Agency: FEMA
Founded: April 1, 1979
Historical Context: On April 1, 1979, President Jimmy Carter signed the executive order that created the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its mission is to lead America to prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from disasters with a vision of "A Nation Prepared." 

Leadership: Craig Fugate
Media Article: "FEMA Reps Tour Flood Damage in Local Alabama Counties"
http://wrbl.com/2016/01/08/fema-reps-tour-flood-damage-in-local-alabama-counties/

Department/Agency: U.S. Department of Education
Founded: October 17, 1979
Historical Context: The origins of the Dept. of Education actually dates back to 1867, when it was established by Andrew Johnson. Its purpose was to collect information and statistics regarding the nation’s schools. However, because officials were afraid of it gaining too much power over the local schools, it was demoted to an Office of Education in 1868. The current Dept. of Education was established because of events during the 1950’s and onward. Federal funding for education increased, Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty” called for programs to improve education for poor students, and the national efforts to help racial minorities, women, disabled people, etc all helped contribute to the establishment of the department.
Leadership: Arne Duncan
Media Article: "Government to Expand Program to Forgive Student Loan Debt"
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/18/us/government-to-expand-program-to-forgive-student-loan-debt.html?ref=topics&_r=0

The Federal Bureaucracy- Jane Zhang, Daniel Tan, Priscilla Lee, Wardah Javed

Department of Labor

● The DOL was founded on March 4th, 1913 with the passage of a law by President William H. Taft. This passage, incidentally on the last day of Taft’s term of office, absorbed what was previously the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It was created after long campaigns by labor leaders to win cabinet status for agency.

●     The purpose of the Department itself is to promote, develop, and foster the welfare of wage earners, retirees, and job seekers of the United States.

●     It is currently headed by Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez.

●     News Story: “U.S. Department of Labor moves forward with new "persuader" regulations, expected in March 2016”

○     The Department of Labor is currently seeking to revise certain “persuader” regulations, obligating employers, attorneys, and consultants to report information required specifically by the Department of Labor. Because the law in question-the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act-was under the bill-making jurisdiction of Congress, the story is summarizing the attempted changes this Department is making to a congressional law. (link)

Employment Benefits Security Administration

●     It was founded in 1970 by Phyllis C. Borz, the Assistant Secretary who administers, regulates, and enforces provisions of Title I of Employee Retirement Income Security Auto Bureau of Labor Statistics, founded in 1884 in the Department of Labor. Its commissioner is Erica L. Groster.

●     It deals with public concerns about mismanagement and abuse of private pension plans.

●     News Story: “Outsourcing Companies Under Scrutiny Over Visas for Technology Workers” (link)

○     Consultory services and infosystems

Employment and Training Administration

●     The ETA was formed in 1975 under the Department of Labor during the administration of President Gerald Ford.

●     It took over all of the Manpower Administration’s duties and now performs as the DOL’s main office for assisting job training and employment development throughout the US.

●     Their mission is to provide labor market information and training, employment, and income services.

●     The ETA’s largest task is to distribute funding to help Americans receive employment training, as first time workers or transitioning into new lines of work as a result of job displacement. (link)

○     One such program advocated by the Bush administration to distribute millions of dollars in grants without competition or oversight by labor officials resulted in criticism from Congress and government auditors.

○     From 2000 to 2006, it distributed $55.2 billion in grants and contracts to 2,533 recipients, of which 90% went to various state and local government agencies, with the remainder being parsed among non-profits and higher education.

Department of Energy

● The Department of Energy was founded October 1st, 1997 in response to the Manhattan Project effort to develop the atomic bomb during WWII. Under FDR's presidency, the creation of the DOE combined the issues of the energy crisis of the mid-1970s and all the various energy-related programs that previously had been dispersed among federal agencies.

● The Department of Energy is charged with advancing the national, economic, and energy security of the U.S., promoting scientific and technological innovation in support of that mission, and ensuring the environmental cleanup of the national nuclear weapons complex.

● The current head of the DOE is Dr. Ernest Moniz, the Secretary of Energy

● News Story: "U.S. Department of Energy to Award $4 million to Rural Alaska for Energy Projects"

○     The Department of Energy is partnering with the Alaska Energy Authority to award money to rural communities to implement energy efficient projects. The goal of the grant is to help rural areas reduce energy costs, and the DOE also intends to makes $600,000 available for technical assistance. This is related to COTUS, because while Congress determines funding and approves of grants, it also delegates a certain independence to certain departments. (link)

The National Nuclear Security Administration

● The NNSA was established by Congress in 2000 as a separately organized agency within the U.S. Dept. of Energy, responsible for the management and security of the nation's nuclear weapons, nuclear nonproliferation, and naval reactor programs.

● The current head of the agency is Lieutenant General Frank G. Klotz, the Undersecretary for Nuclear Security.

● News story: "Contract to Manage Federal Nuke Lab Up For Grabs After 2017"

○     The NNSA opted against extending Los Alamos Security Contract to run Los Alamos National Laboratory because of repeated failures over the past years to meet performance goals. The latest performance review docked the lab's manager $7.7 million in incentive fees, and senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, all Democrats, said the federal gov't must hold it's contractors accountable, be a responsible steward of federal funds, and take action under the contract to ensure the safety of workers, the community, and environment. (link)

US Bureaucracy - Jeremy Hirsch, Julia Hoffman, Stephen Mai, Emmaly Gutierrez, Kellie Zestanakis

AmeriCorps
Founded: 1994
Circumstances(historical context):
In 1990, President George H.W. Bush developed the Commission on National and Community Service. With the signing of the National Community Service Trust Act later in 1993, President Clinton was able to expand national service to create the Corporation for National and Community Service, and under it AmeriCorps. This corporation connected Americans of any age or backgrounds to opportunities to give back to their communities and nation. Through AmeriCorps members commit to full-time or part-time positions offered by a network of nonprofit community organizations and public agencies.

Current Leadership:
Wendy Spencer

News story:

Budget cuts for AmeriCorps threaten at-risk youth. Congress continues to propose a reduction in AmeriCorps funding. This year there are 73,600 AmeriCorps positions. The House bill proposed will cut 25,000 of these while the Senate will cut 20,000.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/americorps-budget-cuts-hurt-at-risk-youth-and-underserved-communities/article/2576260

US Army Corps of Engineers

Founded: 1803

Circumstances(historical context):

In 1775, George Washington appointed engineer officers into the Continental Army but in 1779, Congress distinguished the Army Corps of Engineers from the Army. Its task was to build fortifications, specifically at Bunker Hill where a battle was fought against the British. In 1803, Thomas Jefferson established the Corps with the purpose of urban development. The US having a limited amount of engineers during the time, the duties of the Corps included providing urban services (such as water) and construction of buildings.

Current leadership:

Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick

News story:

Environmentalists want to remove a decrepit dam in Michigan. The local community, however, wants to keep the dam for whatever reasons. The environmentalist group, the Sierra Club, sued the US Army Corps of Engineers in a successful attempt to force the Corps to conduct studies on the environmental consequences of removing the dam.

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2016/1/7/the-quiet-controversy-of-dam-removal.html

Department of the Interior

Founded: 1849

Circumstances(historical context):

A department for domestic matters had been discussed since 1789 but it was not until 1849 that it was created.  The main champion of its creation, Secretary of the Treasury Walker, argued in a report, shortly before it was made, that a department of the interior should be made and should include certain offices of various departments that had nothing to do with the function of their departments.  

Current Leadership:

Secretary of the Interior - Sally Jewell

Deputy Secretary of the Interior - Mike Connor

News Story:

Congress failed to act on the Klamath agreement.

https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/secretary-jewell-statement-congressional-failure-act-klamath-agreement

Department of Defense

Founded: 1949

Circumstances(historical context):

The Army, Navy, and Marine Corps were established in 1775, in concurrence with the American Revolution. The War Department was established in 1789, and was the precursor to what is now the Department of Defense.  One year later, in 1790, the Coast Guard (part of Homeland Security in peacetime) was established.  The navy was founded in 1798.  The National Military Establishment unified in 1947 and replaced the War Department, which converted to the Department of the Army. That same year, the U.S. Air Force was established followed by the founding of the Department of the Air Force. Three military branches, Army, Navy, and Air Force, were placed under the direct control of the new Secretary of Defense, confirmed by Senate (in the 1949 amendment passed and The National Military Establishment was renamed Department of Defense).

Current leadership:

The Secretary of Defense - Ash Carter

The Deputy Secretary of Defense - Robert O. Work

Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff - General Joseph F. Dunford Jr.

Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff - General Paul J. Selva

News story:

Following the Supreme Court decision to recognize gay marriage, the Department of Defense has begun to give same-sex couples in the military the benefits that they were typically denied. In the past, the Department of Defense has been known for its prejudice against gay service members, evidenced by its “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that was struck down by Congress in 2011.

http://militaryspouse.com/news/supreme-court-rules-defense-of-marriage-act-unconstitutional/

Department of Veterans Affairs

Founded: 1989

Circumstances(historical context):

In 1917, as the US entered WWI, Congress established a new system of Veterans benefits. Three federal agencies administered the benefits: the Veterans Bureau, the Bureau of Pensions of the Interior Department, and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. On August 9, 1921, Congress combined all World War I Veterans programs to create the Veterans Bureau. Soldiers who were exposed to mustard gas, other chemicals and fumes required specialized care after the WWI. On July 21, 1930, President Herbert Hoover signed Executive Order 5398 and elevated the Veterans Bureau to a federal administration, the National Homes and Pension Bureau joined. The Department of Veterans Affairs Act of 1988 changed the Veterans Administration into a Cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs. It was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on October 25, 1988, but came into effect under George H. W. Bush, on March 15, 1989. At the time nearly one third of the population was eligible for veterans’ benefits.

Current Leadership:

Secretary of Veterans Affairs- Robert A. McDonald

Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs- Sloan D. Gibson

News Story:

Congress demanded answers from the Department of Veterans Affairs after an investigation documented how VA medical centers in Minnesota and Wisconsin were providing false and misleading information about the qualifications of some of their doctors. Rep. Sean Duffy and Rep. Jeff Miller began demanding answers. Congressional sources say that the Department of Veterans Affairs has failed to respond to Congress's multiple requests for information.

http://www.kare11.com/story/news/investigations/2016/01/01/congress-demands-answers-on-va/78191134/

Executive Bureaucracy- Jaskirat Multani, Dilpreet Singh, Howard Tai

Executive Bureaucracy- Jaskirat Multani, Dilpreet Singh, Howard Tai

I. U.S. Department of State

A) Founded: July 27, 1789

B) Historical Context:

1. Oldest cabinet

2. Handles foreign affairs of U.S. government

C) Leader: John Kerry

D) Media: “House Panel Faults Failure to Review Visa Applicants Social Media Use” (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/18/us/politics/house-panel-faults-failure-to-review-visa-applicants-social-media-use.html)

II. Food and Drug Administration

A) Founded: June 30, 1906

B) Historical Context: formed to enforce the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act

C) Leader: Michael R. Taylor

D) Media: “FDA must develop plan to label genetically engineered salmon, Congress says” (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/12/17/congress-to-fda-no-genetically-engineered-salmon-in-supermarkets-unless-it-is-labeled/)

III. Center for Disease Control and Prevention

A) Founded: July 1, 1946

B) Historical Context: formed as a successor to the World War II Malaria Control in War Areas program to fight against malaria

C) Leader: Thomas R. Frieden

D) Media: “When Gun Violence Felt Like a Disease, a City in Delaware turned to the C.D.C.” (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/25/us/cdc-gun-violence-wilmington.html)

IV. U.S Department of Health and Human Services

A) Founded: May 4, 1980

B) Historical Context:

1. Originally the Federal Security Agency (established July 1, 1939)- goal of bringing together all federal organizations in the fields of health, education, and social security in one organization.

2. 1953: the FSA became the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare 3. 1980: The Department of Health and Human Services officially opened after the Education Organization Act of 1979 removed the education components from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare

C) Leader: Sylvia Mathews Burwell

D) Media: “Nursing Homes Bill for More Therapy Than Patients Need, U.S. Says” (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/30/us/nursing-homes-bill-for-more-therapy-than-patients-need-us-says.html)

V. Center for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications

A) Founded: 2010

B) Historical Context: established to  coordinate, orient, and inform government-wide foreign communications activities targeted against terrorism and violent extremism, particularly al-Qaida

C) Leader: Rashad Hussain

D) Media: “U.S. Intensifies Effort to Blunt ISIS’ Message” (http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/17/world/middleeast/us-intensifies-effort-to-blunt-isis-message.html)