News

President seeks to merge six agencies

President Obama is asking Congress to reinstate the president’s authority to streamline the Executive Branch of the federal government. The authority was first granted to President Franklin Roosevelt during the Great Depression to allow the White House to quickly change the Executive Branch to meet the changing needs of the American people. Congress continued to grant the authority to all ensuing presidents until Ronald Reagan in 1984.

The President wants to use the authority to streamline six government trade agencies into one. Specifically the U.S. Trade Representative’s office, the Small Business Administration, the Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Trade Development Agency. The White House says consolidating the efforts into one office would reduce 1,000 federal jobs and save $3 billion over ten years. The jobs would be eliminated through attrition. Congress would vote on each proposed merger.

The U.S. Trade Representative’s office and the other entities have been directly involved in the development of agricultural exports over the years.

The President also announced he is elevating the Small Business Administration to cabinet-level effective immediately.