United States administrative law encompasses
statutes,
common law, and directives issued by the
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the
Executive Office of the President, that together define the extent of powers and responsibilities held by administrative agencies of the
United States Government (both
executive branch agencies and
independent agencies). The
executive,
legislative, and
judicial branches of the
U.S. federal government cannot always directly perform their
constitutional responsibilities. Specialized powers are therefore delegated to an agency, board, or commission. These administrative governmental bodies oversee and monitor activities in complex areas, such as commercial aviation, medical device manufacturing, and securities markets.