Bureaucracy: The Agency Snarl

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Landis' proposals will doubtless run into opposition on Capitol Hill. In setting up the agencies, beginning with the Interstate Commerce Commission in 1887, Congress deliberately insulated them from presidential control. The President names the members, but once appointed they have tenure for at least five years. In 1937 Congress rejected Franklin Roosevelt's plan to attach the independent agencies to Cabinet departments, and not until the Truman Administration came along did Congress grant the President the authority to name agency chair men (up until then, the agency chairman was usually elected by the commissioners themselves).

As for John F. Kennedy, he liked the Landis Report, appointed Landis a "special assistant" to work up detailed legislative proposals to be submitted to the new Congress.