Explain what administrative agencies are and how they are created. Give an example of an administrative agency.

An administrative agency is a federal or state government agency established to perform a specific function. Administrative agencies are authorized by legislative acts to make and enforce rules relating to the purpose for which they were established. To create an administrative agency at the federal level, Congress passes enabling legislation, which specifies the name, purpose, composition, and powers of the agency being created. An example is the federal Environmental Protection Agency, which coordinates and enforces federal environmental laws.