Federal Works Agency: Difference between revisions

During the [[Great Depression]], the federal government created a large number of agencies whose mission was to construct public works (such as parks, water treatment systems, roads, and buildings), employ the unemployed to construct such works, and to issue loans and grants to regional authorities, states, counties, and localities for the construction of public works.  [[File:Eltingville si plaque jeh.JPG|thumb|left|1939 FWA/PWA plaque celebrating the [[Staten Island Railway|Staten Island Rapid Transit]] ([[New York City]]) grade-elimination project completion.]] Many influential members of Congress, [[political science|political scientists]], and [[public administration|public administration experts]] had strongly criticized the proliferation of executive branch agencies as inefficient.<ref name="Calabresi">Calabresi, Steven G. and Yoo, Christopher S. ''The Unitary Executive: Presidential Power from Washington to Bush.'' New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 2008. {{ISBN|0-300-12126-1}}</ref> On April 3, 1939, [[President of the United States|President]] [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] signed into law the Reorganization Act of 1939, which for two years gave him the authority (under certain limitations) to reorganize existing departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions and committees of the federal government to achieve efficiency and economy.<ref>Belair, Jr., Felix. "Roosevelt Signs Reorganizing Bill." ''New York Times.'' April 4, 1939.</ref>  Pursuant to the Act, President Roosevelt issued Reorganization Plan No. 1 (promulgated April 25, 1939; effective July 1, 1939).<ref name="Plan1">[http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=15748 "Message to Congress on the Reorganization Act." April 25, 1939. John T. Woolley and Gerhard Peters. ''The American Presidency Project.'' Santa Barbara, Calif.: University of California (hosted), Gerhard Peters (database).]</ref><ref name="Sundquist">Sundquist, James L. ''The Decline and Resurgence of Congress.'' Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 1981. {{ISBN|0-8157-8223-3}}</ref>