Just how many federal boards and commissions other than the Federal Trade Commission are protected by laws preventing the president from firing their members at will? Court documents say there are 26. Here’s the list compiled by two law professors, Nicholas R. Bednar and Todd Phillips, who have studied multimember commissions.
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Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board | Investigates the causes of chemical spills and other incidents.
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Commission on Civil Rights | Informs civil rights policy and enhances enforcement of civil rights laws.
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Commodity Futures Trading Commission | Financial regulator for the U.S. derivatives market.
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Consumer Product Safety Commission | Monitors the safety of consumer products, including by issuing recalls and bans.
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Federal Energy Regulation Commission | Regulates the transmission and sale of electricity and natural gas.
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Federal Labor Relations Authority | Governs relationships between the government and federal workers.
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Federal Maritime Commission | Regulates ocean-borne transportation and the United States Merchant Marines.
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Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission | Adjudicates legal disputes and sets penalties arising from disputes involving the Mine Act of 1977.
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Federal Trade Commission | Enforces civil antitrust law and protects consumers from deceptive or unfair business practices.
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Foreign Claims Settlement Commission | Adjudicates claims by U.S. citizens against foreign governments.
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Legal Services Corporation | Funds organizations that provide legal aid to low-income Americans for civil cases.
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Merit Systems Protection Board | Adjudicates certain claims by federal workers with an aim to protecting the federal merits system from political interference.
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Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority | Operates the Washington region’s two airports, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Dulles International Airport.
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National Consumer Cooperative Bank | Congressionally chartered bank offering services to cooperatives and social organizations.
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National Indian Gaming Commission | Regulates tribal gaming.
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National Labor Relations Board | Enforces collective bargaining and labor laws and fights unfair labor practices.
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National Mediation Board | Regulates labor-management relations in the railroad and airline industries.
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National Transportation Safety Board | Investigates civil transportation accidents.
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Nuclear Regulatory Commission | Protects public health and safety in the nuclear energy industry.
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Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission | Adjudicates disputes over citations and penalties issued to employers by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
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Postal Regulatory Commission | Regulates the U.S. postal system.
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Puerto Rico Financial Oversight and Management Board | Oversees the finances of Puerto Rico and helps restructure the territory’s public debt.
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State Justice Institute | Works to improve state court systems including by awards grants.
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U.S. Institute of Peace | Supports finding diplomatic solutions to global conflicts, trains peace negotiators and diplomats and briefs Congress.
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U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors | The governing body of the U.S. Postal Service.
The professors also identified four other independent commissions whose membership has also been seen as likely protected by virtue of their responsibilities and structure:
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Federal Election Commission | Enforces campaign finance laws and oversees elections.
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International Trade Commission | Advises Congress and the executive branch on trade matters, including tariffs.
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National Credit Union Administration | Insures credit unions.
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Securities and Exchange Commission | Regulates securities markets, brokers and investment advisers.
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