A government agency or state agency , sometimes an appointed commission , is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government ( bureaucracy ) that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an administration . There is a notable variety of agency types. Although usage differs, a government agency is normally distinct both from a department or ministry , and other types of public body established by government . The functions of an agency are normally executive in character since different types of organizations ( such as commissions ) are most often constituted in an advisory role — this distinction is often blurred in practice however, it is not allowed.
54-494: The Virginia Retirement System is an independent state agency that administers pension plans , retirement savings plans, and other benefits to public employees in the U.S. state of Virginia . As of 2018, the agency ranks as the 14th largest public or private pension fund in the United States and is the 42nd largest retirement system in the world. As of 2022, there are approximately 835 state employers participating in
108-493: A council of ministers , or the similar council of state . Some German-speaking areas use the term " senate " (such as the Senate of Berlin ) for their cabinet, rather than the more common meaning of a legislative upper house. However, a great many countries simply call their top executive body the cabinet, including Israel , the United States , Venezuela , and Singapore , among others. The supranational European Union uses
162-547: A parliamentary system (e.g., the United Kingdom ), the cabinet collectively decides the government's direction, especially in regard to legislation passed by the parliament . In countries with a presidential system , such as the United States , the cabinet does not function as a collective legislative influence; rather, their primary role is as an official advisory council to the head of government. In this way,
216-489: A bicameral legislature. The term "government agency" or "administrative agency" usually applies to one of the independent agencies of the United States government , which exercise some degree of independence from the President's control. Although the heads of independent agencies are often appointed by the government, they can usually be removed only for cause. The heads of independent agencies work together in groups, such as
270-529: A commission, board or council. Independent agencies often function as miniature versions of the tripartite federal government with the authority to legislate (through the issuing or promulgation of regulations), to adjudicate disputes, and to enforce agency regulations. Examples of independent agencies include the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Reserve Board , U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC),
324-483: A considerable period after the particular cabinet disbands, depending on provisions of a nation's freedom of information legislation. In theory the prime minister or premier is first among equals . However, the prime minister is ultimately the person from whom the head of state will take advice (by constitutional convention) on the exercise of executive power , which may include the powers to declare war, use nuclear weapons, and appoint cabinet members. This results in
378-468: A country is, the smaller is its cabinet. A council of advisers of a head of state has been a common feature of government throughout history and around the world. In Ancient Egypt , priests assisted the pharaohs in administrative duties. In Sparta , the Gerousia , or council of elders, normally sat with the two kings to deliberate on law or to judge cases. The Maurya Empire under the emperor Ashoka
432-619: A different convention: the European Commission refers to its executive cabinet as a " college ", with its top public officials referred to as " commissioners ", whereas a " European Commission cabinet " is the personal office of a European Commissioner. The term comes from the Italian gabinetto , which originated from the Latin capanna , which was used in the sixteenth century to denote a closet or small room. From it originated in
486-575: A few governments, as in the case of Mexico , the Philippines , the UK, and the U.S., the title of " secretary " is also used for some cabinet members ("Secretary of Education", or "Secretary of State for X" in the UK or the Netherlands ). In many countries (e.g. Germany, Luxembourg , France , Spain , etc.), a secretary (of State) is a cabinet member with an inferior rank to a minister. In Finland ,
540-719: A government agency include the British Navy Board , responsible for ships and supplies, which was established in 1546 by King Henry VIII and the British Commissioners of Bankruptcy established in 1570. From 1933, the New Deal saw growth in U.S. federal agencies, the " alphabet agencies " as they were used to deliver new programs created by legislation, such as the Federal Emergency Relief Administration . From
594-464: A president who is also head of government and political leader may depart from the cabinet's advice if they do not agree with it. In practice, in nearly all parliamentary democracies that do not follow the Westminster system, and in three countries that do ( Japan , Ireland , and Israel ), very often the cabinet does not "advise" the head of state as they play only a ceremonial role. Instead, it
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#1732786826942648-418: A presidential system, the cabinet in a parliamentary system must not only be confirmed, but enjoy the continuing confidence of the parliament: a parliament can pass a motion of no confidence to remove a government or individual ministers. Often, but not necessarily, these votes are taken across party lines. In some countries (e.g. the U.S.) attorneys general also sit in the cabinet, while in many others this
702-468: A presidential system. The legislature may also remove a cabinet member through a usually difficult impeachment process. In the cabinet, members do not serve to influence legislative policy to the degree found in a Westminster system; however, each member wields significant influence in matters relating to their executive department . Since the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt , the President of
756-437: A secretary of state is a career official that serves the minister. While almost all countries have an institution that is recognisably a cabinet, the name of this institution varies. In many countries, (such as Ireland , Sweden , and Vietnam ) the term "government" refers to the body of executive ministers; the broader organs of state having another name. Others, such as Spain , Poland , and Cuba , refer to their cabinet as
810-878: A supreme council of elite lords. In the Songhai Empire , the central government was composed of the top office holders of the imperial council. In the Oyo Empire , the Oyo Mesi , or royal council, were members of the aristocracy who constrained the power of the Alaafin , or king. During the Qing dynasty , the highest decision-making body was the Deliberative Council . In the United Kingdom and its colonies, cabinets began as smaller sub-groups of
864-410: Is a group of people with the constitutional or legal task to rule a country or state, or advise a head of state, usually from the executive branch . Their members are known as ministers and secretaries and they are often appointed by either heads of state or government. Cabinets are typically the body responsible for the day-to-day management of the government and response to sudden events, whereas
918-486: Is eligible for nomination to cabinet based on electoral outcomes. For instance in the Philippines, candidates who have lost in any election in the country may not be appointed to cabinet positions within one (1) year of that election. The candidate prime minister and/or the president selects the individual ministers to be proposed to the parliament, which may accept or reject the proposed cabinet composition. Unlike in
972-475: Is strictly prohibited, as the attorneys general are considered to be part of the judicial branch of government. Instead, there is a Minister of Justice , separate from the attorney general. Furthermore, in Sweden, Finland, and Estonia , the cabinet includes a Chancellor of Justice , a civil servant that acts as the legal counsel to the cabinet. In multi-party systems , the formation of a government may require
1026-477: Is usually the head of government (usually called " prime minister ") who holds all means of power in their hands (e.g. in Germany , Sweden , etc.) and to whom the cabinet reports. In both presidential and parliamentary systems, cabinet officials administer executive branches, government agencies, or departments. Cabinets are also important originators for legislation. Cabinets and ministers are usually in charge of
1080-607: The Department of the Treasury . Most federal agencies are created by Congress through statutes called " enabling acts ", which define the scope of an agency's authority. Because the Constitution does not expressly mention federal agencies (as it does the three branches), some commentators have called agencies the "headless fourth branch" of the federal government. However, most independent agencies are technically part of
1134-531: The English Privy Council . The term comes from the name for a relatively small and private room used as a study or retreat. Phrases such as "cabinet counsel", meaning advice given in private to the monarch, occur from the late 16th century, and, given the non-standardised spelling of the day, it is often hard to distinguish whether "council" or "counsel" is meant. The Oxford English Dictionary credits Francis Bacon in his Essays (1605) with
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#17327868269421188-697: The NITI Aayog , which is chaired ex officio by the Prime Minister. Russia has had many government agencies throughout its history. The USSR had the secretive KGB . Today, Russian government agencies such as the FSB , FSO , and the GRU use Spetsnaz or other masked operators for any missions. Other organizations include Kremlin and presidential security. The Government agencies in Sweden are State controlled organizations who act independently to carry out
1242-637: The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). A broader definition of the term "government agency" also means the United States federal executive departments that include the President's cabinet-level departments and their sub-units. Examples of these include the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which is a bureau of
1296-552: The Parliament of the United Kingdom , Scottish Parliament or the Welsh Parliament . The Congress and President of the United States delegate specific authority to government agencies to regulate the complex facets of the modern American federal state . Also, most of the 50 U.S. states have created similar government agencies. Each state government is similar to the national government, with all but one having
1350-527: The Virginia General Assembly . The legislature's Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission is responsible for oversight of the system. The current director of the system, Patricia Bishop, was appointed in 2015. The Virginia Retirement System was established in 1942, originally opening its membership to state and school district employees. In 1944, the scope of the system was expanded to include employees of municipalities and counties in
1404-587: The politburo , such as the Politburo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union . This is an organ of the communist party and not a state organ, but due to one-party rule, the state and its cabinet (e.g. Government of the Soviet Union ) are in practice subordinate to the politburo. Technically, a politburo is overseen and its members selected by the central committee , but in practice it was often
1458-474: The president obtains opinions and advice relating to forthcoming decisions. Legally, under both types of system, the Westminster variant of a parliamentary system and the presidential system, the cabinet "advises" the head of state: the difference is that, in a parliamentary system, the monarch , viceroy , or ceremonial president will almost always follow this advice, whereas, in a presidential system,
1512-520: The 1600s the English word cabinet or cabinett which was used to denote a small room, particularly in the houses of nobility or royalty. Around this time the use of cabinet associated with small councils arose both in England and other locations such as France and Italy. For example, Francis Bacon used the term Cabanet Counselles in 1607. In presidential systems such as the United States, members of
1566-540: The 1980s, as part of New Public Management , several countries including Australia and the United Kingdom developed the use of agencies to improve efficiency in public services. Administrative law in France refers to autorité administrative indépendante (AAI) or Independent Administrative Authorities. They tend to be prominent in the following areas of public policy; Independent Administrative Authorities in France may not be instructed or ordered to take specific actions by
1620-482: The United States has acted most often through his own executive office or the National Security Council rather than through the cabinet as was the case in earlier administrations. Although the term "Secretary" is usually used to name the most senior official of a government department, some departments have different titles to name such officials. For instance, the Department of Justice uses
1674-401: The United States , a cabinet under a presidential system of government is part of the executive branch. In addition to administering their respective segments of the executive branch, cabinet members are responsible for advising the head of government on areas within their purview. They are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the head of government and are therefore strongly subordinate to
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1728-439: The cabinet are chosen by the president, and may also have to be confirmed by one or both of the houses of the legislature (in the case of the U.S., it is the Senate that confirms members with a simple majority vote). Depending on the country, cabinet members must, must not, or may be members of parliament. The following are examples of this variance: Some countries that adopt a presidential system also place restrictions on who
1782-432: The cabinet or junior ministers, must publicly support the policy of the government, regardless of any private reservations. Although, in theory, all cabinet decisions are taken collectively by the cabinet, in practice many decisions are delegated to the various sub-committees of the cabinet, which report to the full cabinet on their findings and recommendations. As these recommendations have already been agreed upon by those in
1836-420: The cabinet who hold affected ministerial portfolios, the recommendations are usually agreed to by the full cabinet with little further discussion. The cabinet may also provide ideas on/if new laws were established, and what they include. Cabinet deliberations are secret and documents dealt with in cabinet are confidential. Most of the documentation associated with cabinet deliberations will only be publicly released
1890-402: The coalition or members of parliament can still vote against the government, and the cabinet can break up from internal disagreement or be dismissed by a motion of no confidence. The size of cabinets varies, although most contain around ten to twenty ministers. Researchers have found an inverse correlation between a country's level of development and cabinet size: on average, the more developed
1944-490: The current amount of state inflation. This Virginia -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . State agency A government agency may be established by either a national government or a state government within a federal system. Agencies can be established by legislation or by executive powers. The autonomy, independence, and accountability of government agencies also vary widely. Early examples of organizations that would now be termed
1998-563: The executive branch, with a few located in the legislative branch of government. By enacting the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) in 1946, Congress established some means to oversee government agency action. The APA established uniform administrative law procedures for a federal agency's promulgation of rules and adjudication of claims. The APA also sets forth the process for judicial review of agency action. Cabinet (government) A cabinet in governing
2052-521: The first recorded use of "cabinet" by itself for such a body comes from 1644, and is again hostile and associates the term with dubious foreign practices. The process has repeated itself in recent times, as leaders have felt the need to have a Kitchen Cabinet or "sofa government". Under the Westminster system, members of the cabinet are Ministers of the Crown who are collectively responsible for all government policy. All ministers, whether senior and in
2106-425: The first use of "Cabinet council", where it is described as a foreign habit, of which he disapproves: "For which inconveniences, the doctrine of Italy, and practice of France, in some kings' times, hath introduced cabinet counsels; a remedy worse than the disease". Charles I began a formal "Cabinet Council" from his accession in 1625, as his Privy Council, or "private council", was evidently not private enough, and
2160-630: The government. The General Secretariat for Macedonia and Thrace ( Greek : Γενική Γραμματεία Μακεδονίας-Θράκης), previously Ministry for Macedonia and Thrace ( Greek : Υπουργείο Μακεδονίας-Θράκης) is a government agency of the Hellenic Republic that is responsible for the Greek regions of Macedonia and Thrace . The term agency in India has several meanings; for example, the Cabinet and
2214-441: The legislative and judicial branches work in a measured pace, in sessions according to lengthy procedures. The function of a cabinet varies: in some countries, it is a collegiate decision-making body with collective responsibility , while in others it may function either as a purely advisory body or an assisting institution to a decision-making head of state or head of government . In some countries, particularly those that use
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2268-565: The outcome in individual cases as well. In addition to the State and its agencies, there are also local government agencies, which are extensions of municipalities and county councils . Agencies in the United Kingdom are either executive agencies answerable to government ministers or non-departmental public bodies answerable directly to parliament or the devolved assemblies of the United Kingdom. They are also commonly known as Quangos . Agencies can be created by enabling legislation by
2322-498: The overall direction of the government has usually been done as a matter of preference by the prime minister – either because they are unpopular with their backbenchers , or because they believe that the cabinet should collectively decide things. A shadow cabinet consists of the leading members, or frontbenchers , of an opposition party , who generally hold critic portfolios "shadowing" cabinet ministers, questioning their decisions and proposing policy alternatives. In some countries,
2376-693: The parliament Secretariat describes itself as a " nodal agency for coordination amongst the ministries of the Govt. of India". Most notably as an international feature, what appear to be independent agencies ( or apex agencies ) include some that have active roles for Ministers: such as, the National Security Council , the Medical Council of India , the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), the Indian Council of Agricultural Research , and
2430-533: The policies of the Government of Sweden . The Ministries are relatively small and merely policy-making organizations, allowed to control agencies by policy decisions but not by direct orders. This means that while the agencies are subject to decisions made by the Government, Ministers are explicitly prohibited (so-called ban on ministerstyre ) from interfering with the day-to-day operation in an agency or
2484-404: The preparation of proposed legislation in the ministries before it is passed to the parliament . Thus, often the majority of new legislation actually originates from the cabinet and its ministries. In most governments, members of the cabinet are given the title of "minister", and each holds a different portfolio of government duties ("Minister of Foreign Affairs", "Minister of Health", etc.). In
2538-493: The president as they can be replaced at any time. Normally, since they are appointed by the president, they are members of the same political party, but the executive is free to select anyone, including opposition party members, subject to the advice and consent of the Senate. Normally, the legislature or a segment thereof must confirm the appointment of a cabinet member; this is but one of the many checks and balances built into
2592-411: The shadow ministers are referred to as spokespersons. The Westminster cabinet system is the foundation of cabinets as they are known at the federal and provincial (or state) jurisdictions of Australia , Canada , India , Pakistan , South Africa , and other Commonwealth countries whose parliamentary model is closely based on that of the United Kingdom. Under the doctrine of separation of powers in
2646-428: The situation where the cabinet is de facto appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the prime minister. Thus, the cabinet is often strongly subordinate to the prime minister as they can be replaced at any time, or can be moved ("demoted") to a different portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle for "underperforming". This position in relation to the executive power means that, in practice, any spreading of responsibility for
2700-420: The state. In 1995 and 1996, the Constitution of Virginia was amended to require that the system's trust funds be established and operated as independent trusts. The system administers defined benefit pension plans , defined contribution plans , and hybrid plans for Virginia's public sector employees. The system also offers a program known as a Cost-of-Living Adjustment , which graduates member payments with
2754-405: The support of multiple parties. Thus, a coalition government is formed. Continued cooperation between the participating political parties is necessary for the cabinet to retain the confidence of the parliament. For this, a government platform is negotiated, in order for the participating parties to toe the line and support their cabinet. However, this is not always successful: constituent parties of
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#17327868269422808-468: The system, including municipalities, counties, school districts, colleges and universities, law enforcement agencies, judiciary agencies, and state agencies. The Virginia Retirement System currently serves more than 750,000 members, beneficiaries , and retirees . The Virginia Retirement System is governed by a 9-member Board of Trustees , which is a shared responsibility of the Governor of Virginia and
2862-546: The term "Attorney General" instead of "Justice Secretary", but the Attorney General is nonetheless a cabinet-level position. Following the federal government's model, state executive branches are also organised into executive departments headed by cabinet secretaries. The government of California calls these departments "agencies" or informally "superagencies", while the government of Kentucky styles them as "cabinets". Communist states can be ruled de facto by
2916-460: Was ruled by a royal council. In Kievan Rus' , the prince was obliged to accept the advice and receive the approval of the duma , or council, which was composed of boyars , or nobility. An inner circle of a few members of the duma formed a cabinet to attend and advise the prince constantly. The ruins of Chichen Itza and Mayapan in the Maya civilisation suggest that political authority was held by
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