Source: https://collections.lib.utah.edu/details?id=1138817
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 10:38:37+00:00

Document:
435 The head of each department is authorized to prescribe regulations, not inconsistent with law, for the gov- ernment of his Department, the conduct of its officers and clerks, for distribution and performance of its busi- ness, and the custody, use, and preservation of the rec- ords, papers and property appertaining to it. The key words are "not inconsistent with law." Opinions of the Attorney General indicate that, where a statute-relating to the powers of an agency within an executive department grants authority directly to such agency, any order transfer- ring such authority would be "inconsistent with law."217 Until recently, authority was frequently conferred directly upon sub- ordinate agencies or bureaus.218 In such cases, the authority of the department head was usually "supervisory" in character.219 The tendency in recent legislation and reorganization plans, however, is to transfer functions and authority from the sub- ordinate agencies and officials to the department head and to permit reassignment within his department.220 Such plans 217 27 Ops. Att'y Gen. 542; 29 Ops. Att'y Gen. 247; 30 Ops. Att'y Gen. 119; 36 Ops. Att'y Gen. 75 ; 37 Ops. Att'y Gen. 364. m See, e. g.: Bureau of Indian Affairs (R. S. § 463, from Act of July 9, 1832, § 1, 4 Stat. 564, as amended, 25 U. S. 0. 2; and Act of August 8, 1946, 60 Stat. 939, 25 U. S. C. la) ; Bureau of Land Management (1946 Reorganiza- tion Plan No. 3, § 403(a), 60 Stat. 1097, 1100, 43 U. S. O. 1 note following) ; Bureau of Mines (Act of May 16, 1910, § 2, 36 Stat. 369, 370, as amended, 30 U. S. G. S) ; Bureau of Reclamation (Act of May 26, 1926, 44 Stat. 657, see 43 U. S. C. 373a) ; Coast and Geodetic Survey (Act of August 6, 1947, § 1, 61 Stat. 787, 33 U. S. O. 883a (Supp. Ill)) ; Geological Survey (Act of March 3,1879, § 1, 20 Stat. 377, 394, 43 U. S. C. 31) ; National Park Service (Act of August 25, 1916, § 1, 39 Stat. 535, as amended, 16 U. S. 0. 1) ; Rural Electrification Administration (Act of May 20, 1936, § 1, 49 Stat. 1363, as amended, 7 U. S. C. 901) ; Soil Conservation Service (Act of April 27, 1935, § 5, 49 Stat. 163, 164, 16 U. S. C. 590e) ; Weather Bureau (Act of October 1,1890, § 3, 26 Stat. 653, as amended, 15 U. S. C. 313). 219 See, e. g., R. S. § 441, from Act of March 3, 1849, 9 Stat. 395, as amended. See 5 U. S. C. 485 (Interior) ; Act of February 14, 1903, §§3, 10, 32 Stat. 825, 826, 829, 5 U. S. C. 596, 599 (Commerce). 220 See, e. g., these Reorganization Plans set out following 5 U. S. C. 133z-15 (Supp. Ill) : No. 2, 1949, §§ 1, 2, 14 F. R. 5225, 63 Stat. 1065; No. 3, 1949, § 1, 14 F. R. 5225, 63 Stat. 1066; No. 5, 1949, § 2, 14 F. R. 5227, 63 Stat. 1067; No. 6, 1949, § 2, 14 F. R. 5228, 63 Stat. 1069; No. 7, 1949, § 2, 14 F. R. 5228, 63 Stat. 1070; No. 3, 1950, §§ 1, 2, 15 F. R. 3174, 64 Stat. -. But see § 1 of Reorganization Plan No. 7, 1949, supra. See also Act of August 10,1949, § 5, 63 Stat. 578, -.

References: § 463
 § 1
 § 403
 § 2
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 1
 § 5
 § 3
 § 441
 § 1
 § 2
 § 2
 § 2
 § 1
 § 5