Presidential Commission (United States)

In the United States, a Presidential Commission is a special task force ordained by the President to complete a specific, special investigation or research. They are often quasi-judicial in nature; that is, they include public or in-camera hearings.

Presidential Commissions often serve one of two political purposes: to draw attention to a problem (the publication of a report by a commission can generally be counted on to draw attention from the media, depending on how its release is handled); or, on the other hand, to delay action on an issue (if the President wants to avoid taking action but still look concerned about an issue, he can convene a commission and then let it slip into obscurity.) However, there have been cases (the Tower, Rogers and Warren Commissions) where the commission has created reports that have been used as evidence in later criminal proceedings.

List of Presidential Commissions

• First Philippine Commission – "Schurman Commission" (1899)
• Second Philippine Commission – "Taft Commission" (1900)
• Commission on the Organization of Government Scientific Work (1903)
• Committee on Department Methods – "Keep Commission" (1905–1909)
• President's Commission on Economy and Efficiency (1910–1912)
• President's Committee on Economic Security (1934)
• President's Commission on Administrative Management – "Brownlow Committee" (1937)
• Commission to Investigate the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor – a.k.a. "Roberts Commission" (1941)
• President's Committee on Civil Rights (1946)
• President's Scientific Research Board (1946)
• Presidential Commission on Higher Education (1947)
• Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of the Government – Hoover Commission (1947)
• President's Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services – a.k.a. "Fahy Committee" (1948)
• President’s Committee on Religious & Moral Welfare & Character Guidance in the Armed Forces (1948)
• President's Water Resources Policy Commission (1950)
• President's Communications Policy Board (1950)
• President's Commission on Migratory Labor (1950)
• President's Commission on Internal Security and Individual Rights (1951)
• President's Commission on the Health Needs of the Nation (1951)
• President's Commission on Immigration and Naturalization (1952)
• Commission on Intergovernmental Relations – a.k.a. "Kestenbaum Commission" (1953)
• President's Railroad Commission (1960)
• Presidential Commission on the Status of Women (1961)
• Trade and Environment Policy Advisory Committee (1962)[1][2]
• The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy – a.k.a. "Warren Commission" (1963)
• President's Review Committee for Development Planning in Alaska (1964)
• President's Commission on Crime in the District of Columbia (1965–1969)
• President's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice (1965–1969)
• President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities (1966; formerly The President's Committee on Mental Retardation, 1963)[3][4]
• National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders – a.k.a. the "Kerner Commission" (1967–1968)
• President's Commission on Budget Concepts (1967–1969)
• National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence (1969)
• President's Blue Ribbon Defense Panel (1969–1970) (urged 60% cuts in Pentagon staffs)
• President's Commission on Campus Unrest (1970)
• President's Commission on Financial Structure and Regulation – a.k.a. the "Hunt Commission" (1970–1971)
• National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control (1971)
• President's Commission on Olympic Sports (1975)
• National Commission on the Observance of International Women's Year (1975)
• U.S. President's Commission on CIA activities within the United States – a.k.a. Rockefeller Commission (1975)
• President's Advisory Board on International Investment (1977)
• Presidential Advisory Board on Ambassadorial Appointments (1977)
• President's Commission on Mental Health (1977)
• President's Commission on Military Compensation (1977)
• President's Commission on Foreign Language and International Studies (1978)
• President's Commission on the Coal Industry (1978)
• President's Commission on Pension Policy (1978)
• Presidential Commission on World Hunger (1978)
• President's Commission on the Holocaust (1978)
• President's Commission on the Accident at Three Mile Island (1979)
• President's Advisory Committee for Women (1979)
• President's Commission for a National Agenda for the Eighties (1979)
• President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine & Biomedical & Behavioral Research (1979)
• Advisory Committee on Small and Minority Business Ownership (1980)
• President's Commission on United States–Liberian Relations (1980)
• President's Committee on the International Labor Organization (1980)
• President's Committee on Small Business Policy (1981)
• President's Council on Spinal Cord Injury (1981)
• President's Commission on Hostage Compensation (1981)
• President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control – a.k.a. "Grace Commission" (1982)
• President’s Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research (1982)
• National Commission on Excellence in Education (1983)
• Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident – a.k.a. "Rogers Commission" (1986)
• President's Special Review Board (Iran-Contra) – a.k.a. "Tower Commission" (1986)
• President's Commission on Organized Crime (1986)
• President's Blue Ribbon Commission on Defense Management – a.k.a. "Packard Commission" (1986)
• President's Commission on the HIV Epidemic (1987)
• President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics (1990)[5][6][7][8][9]
• Good Neighbor Environmental Board (1992)[10]
• President's commission on aviation security and terrorism (1990)
• National Industrial Security Program Policy Advisory Committee (1993)[11][12]
• National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Advisory Board (1995; recharted 2004) AKA:PDD-39[13]
• Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (1995)[14][15]
• President's Commission on Veterans Education (1996)
• Presidential Advisory Commission on Holocaust Assets in the United States (1998)
• Invasive Species Advisory Committee (1999)[16][17][18][19][20][21]
• Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (2000)[11][22][4][23][24]
• Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee (2000)[24][25]
• President's Commission To Strengthen Social Security (2001)
• President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education (2001)
• Commission on the Future of the United States Aerospace Industry (2001)
• National Infrastructure Advisory Council (2001)[26]
• National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States – a.k.a. 9/11 Commission (2002)
• President's Commission on the United States Postal Service (2002)
• Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (2004)[7][9][27][28]
• President's Commission on Implementation of United States Space Exploration Policy (2004)
• Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction (2005)
• State, Local, Tribal, and Private Sector (SLTPS) Policy Advisory Committee (2009)[29][30][31][32][33][34]
• National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (2010)
• Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future (2010)
• Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development (2010)[35]
• National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling (2010)
• President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (Orig, 2001; recharted 2010)[36]
• President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition(Orig. 1944 National Committee on Physical Fitness; recharted 2010)
• President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans (2012)[7][9][37][38]
• San Juan Islands National Monument Advisory Committee (2013)[7][9][39][40]
• Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (2014)[7][9][41][42]
• President's Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (2014)[7][9][43][44]
• Bears Ears National Monument Advisory Committee (2016)[7][9][45][46][47]
• Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity (2016)
• Gold Butte National Monument Advisory Committee (2016)[7][9][48][49][50]
• Governmental Advisory Committee to the United States Representative to the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (2016)[11]
• National Advisory Committee to the United States Representative to the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (2016)[11]
• Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity (2017)
• President's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (2017)[7][9][51][52][53][54]

See also

• Royal Commission
• Blue-ribbon panel

References

1. Pub.L. 87–794, 76 Stat. 872, enacted October 11, 1962
2. 19 U.S.C. § 1801
3. "2 CFR Part 200 Super Circular" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2017-10-09.
4. Pub.L. 92–463
5. Office of the Press Secretary (May 26, 2011). "President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics: The Next Step in Improving the Academic Achievement of Latino Students". whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C.: White House. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
6. "President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans". Federal Register. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. October 12, 2001. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved October 9, 2017. Alt URL
7. Office of the Press Secretary (September 29, 2017). "Presidential Executive Order on the Continuance of Certain Federal Advisory Committees". whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C.: White House. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
8. Hayes, B. Kaye (October 2, 2017). "President Trump Continues PACHA". AIDS.gov. Washington, D.C.: U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
9. "Continuance of Certain Federal Advisory Committees". Federal Register. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. September 29, 2017. Archived from the original on October 9, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2017. Alt URL
10. 7 U.S.C. § 5404
11. 5 U.S.C. App. II
12. Pub.L. 89–554, 80 Stat. 378, enacted September 6, 1966
13. "History of the Department of State During the Clinton Presidency (1993–2001)". United States Department of State. Washington, D.C.: United States Government. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
14. 42 U.S.C. § 217a
15. Pub.L. 92–LI63
16. 42 U.S.C. § 4321 et seq.
17. 16 U.S.C. § 4701 et seq.
18. 18 U.S.C. § 42
19. 7 U.S.C. § 150aa et seq.
20. 7 U.S.C. § 2801 et seq
21. 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq.
22. Pub.L. 106–398 (text) (pdf) section 3624
23. 42 U.S.C. § 73480
24. Pub.L. 106–398 (text) (pdf)
25. 5 U.S.C. § 5701
26. 44 U.S.C. § 35
27. Office of the Press Secretary (September 30, 2015). "681 – Executive Order 13708—Continuance or Reestablishment of Certain Federal Advisory Committees". UCSB. Santa Barbara, California: University of California. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
28. "Continuance or Reestablishment of Certain Federal Advisory Committees". Federal Register. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. September 30, 2015. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved October 9, 2017. Alt URL
29. 3 CFR 13549
30. 50 U.S.C. § 1801
31. 42 U.S.C. § 2011 et seq.
32. 6 U.S.C. §§ 42–e
33. 5 U.S.C. § 105
34. 5 U.S.C. § 102
35. Pub.L. 110–186 (text) (pdf)
36. 5 U.S.C. §§ 5701–5707
37. Office of the Press Secretary (July 26, 2012). "Executive Order – White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans". whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C.: White House. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
38. "White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans". Federal Register. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. July 26, 2012. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2017. Alt URL
39. Office of the Press Secretary (March 25, 2013). "187 – Proclamation 8947—Establishment of the San Juan Islands National Monument". UCSB. Santa Barbara, California: University of California. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
40. "Establishment of the San Juan Islands National Monument". Federal Register. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. March 25, 2013. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved October 9, 2017. Alt URL
41. Office of the Press Secretary (September 18, 2014). "Executive Order – Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria". whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C.: White House. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
42. "Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterias". Federal Register. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. September 18, 2014. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2017. Alt URL
43. Office of the Press Secretary (August 5, 2014). "594 – Executive Order 13675—Establishing the President's Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa". UCSB. Santa Barbara, California: University of California. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
44. "Establishing the President's Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa". Federal Register. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. August 5, 2014. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved October 9, 2017. Alt URL
45. "Bear Ears National Monument Questions & Answers" (PDF). United States Forest Service. Washington, D.C.: United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
46. Office of the Press Secretary (December 28, 2016). "875 – Proclamation 9558—Establishment of the Bears Ears National Monument". UCSB. Santa Barbara, California: University of California. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
47. "Establishment of the Bears Ears National Monument". Federal Register. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. December 28, 2016. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved October 9, 2017. Alt URL
48. Wiles, Tay (February 23, 2017). "The many questions of Gold Butte". High Country News. Paonia, Colorado: High Country News, LLC. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
49. Office of the Press Secretary (December 28, 2016). "Presidential Proclamation – Establishment of the Gold Butte National Monument". whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C.: White House. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
50. "Establishment of the Gold Butte National Monument". Federal Register. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. December 28, 2016. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2017. Alt URL
51. Office of the Press Secretary (February 28, 2017). "Presidential Executive Order on The White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities". whitehouse.gov. Washington, D.C.: White House. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
52. "The White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities". Federal Register. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. March 3, 2017. Archived from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved October 9, 2017. Alt URL
53. Alemany, Jacqueline (February 28, 2017). "Trump issues executive orders on HBCUs, environmental regulations". CBS News. United States: CBS. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
54. Pestano, Andrew V. (March 1, 2017). "Donald Trump signs executive orders on clean water rule, HBCUs". UPI. Washington, D.C.: News World Communications. Retrieved October 9, 2017.

Further reading

• Donna Batten, et al. Encyclopedia of Governmental Advisory Organizations (Detroit, MI: Gale, 1973– . annual editions).
• Kenneth Kitts, Presidential Commissions and National Security: The Politics of Damage Control (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2006).
• Steven D. Zink, Guide to the Presidential Advisory Commissions, 1973–1987 (Alexandria, VA: Chadwyck-Healey, Inc, 1987).