What is the purpose of federal regulatory agencies?

The purpose of federal regulatory agencies is to create and enforce rules that protect the public interest in specific sectors. These agencies are established to oversee various aspects of public life, including health, safety, the environment, and economic fairness. For instance, agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulate pollution levels to safeguard the public and the environment. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) oversees the financial markets to protect investors and maintain fair trading practices. Through regulatory frameworks, these agencies ensure that industries operate within set boundaries, which promotes accountability and addresses issues that may harm the public or the economy.

In contrast, providing financial assistance to low-income families, monitoring non-profit organizations, and conducting elections do not fall within the primary functions of regulatory agencies. Financial assistance is typically the role of social services or welfare agencies rather than regulatory bodies. Monitoring non-profits is usually managed by different oversight bodies that focus on compliance and governance, not specifically regulations affecting public welfare as a whole. Lastly, the administration of elections is conducted by electoral commissions, which are not regulatory agencies but rather entities focused on ensuring the integrity and proper conduct of the electoral process.