>I generally am supportive of the U.S. method of having agencies assigned >responsibilities over some aspect of our government, with Congress granting >them the ability to set rules and regulations to carry >out those >responsibilities. But the one great weakness I see with this system—and it >is the one major area where I dislike what agencies often do with the power >they’re granted—is the ability to make >rules willy-nilly, if they so >choose, in whatever way the people in charge at the time feel like making >them without having any accountability or answerability to the voters the >way Congress does if they make rules the voters don’t like or want. >It seems that not only does the majority not win, they’re often irrelevant. Well, APHIS is charged with implementing the Plant Protection Act (an act of Congress) which says, among other things, "(1) Early plant pest detection and surveillance The term 'early plant pest detection and surveillance' means the full range of activities undertaken to find newly introduced plant pests, whether the plant pests are new to the United States or new to certain areas of the United States, before- (A) the plant pests become established; or (B) the plant pest infestations become too large and costly to eradicate or control." Note, "the full range of activities". The Agricultural Act of 2014 says, with regard to seeds, APPLICABILITY- Nothing in this subsection precludes or limits the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to the importation or movement of plants, plant products, or seeds under-- `(A) the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C.7701 et seq.); and `(B) the Federal Seed Act (7 U.S.C. 1551 et seq.).'. Again, Congress. "Nothing ....limits the authority of Secretary of Agriculture..." Bob Nold Denver, Colorado, USA _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/