Interstate Commerce Commission

The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) was a U.S. government agency established in 1887 to regulate railroad rates and practices to ensure fair competition and protect consumers. It was the first federal agency set up to oversee an industry, primarily aimed at preventing monopolies and ensuring that freight charges were reasonable. Over time, its authority expanded to cover trucking, shipping, and other transportation sectors. The ICC was gradually phased out in the late 1990s, with its duties transferred to other agencies, but its establishment marked a significant step in federal regulation of commerce and transportation in the United States.