How do fixed and staggered terms for regulatory commissioners support agency independence?

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lampoon of Interstate Commerce Commission — Administrative law Cartoon depicting a uniformed Interstate Commerce Commission officer shining a large searchlight on U.S. railroad executive Edward Henry Harriman, who is struggling to carry a large load of packages and toy trains, some labeled “merger.”

Fixed and staggered terms for regulatory commissioners are designed to insulate administrative law bodies from direct executive control, thereby fostering impartiality and nonpartisanship.1

By establishing fixed, often lengthy terms of office, these agencies maintain a consistent policy direction that is not subject to the immediate political whims of an elected administration. Furthermore, the staggering of these appointments ensures that the composition of a commission changes incrementally over time. This structure prevents any single president from drastically altering the nature or ideological makeup of an agency by appointing a majority of its commissioners simultaneously. Consequently, these mechanisms help ensure that regulatory agencies can function as independent, stable entities capable of enforcing standards in a fair and equitable manner.1