Federal Agencies
Legislative, Judicial, Executive, and Independent Governmental Departments
Legislative Branch
 Important Agencies and Offices within the Legislative Branch
 Library of Congress
 United States Copyright Office
 United States Capitol Police
Judicial Branch
 Important Agencies and Offices within the Judicial Branch:
 Federal Judicial Center
 Office of Probation and Pretrial Services
 United States Sentencing Commission
Executive Departments
 The Executive Departments make up the President’s Cabinet
and are part of the order of succession as created by the 25th
Amendment.
 The original three were the Departments of State, War, and
the Treasury.
 15 Total Departments
United States Department of Agriculture
 Also known as the USDA
 Is responsible for developing and executing the policy on
farming, agriculture, forestry, and food.
 Major Agencies within the USDA:
 Food Safety and Inspection Service
 Forest Service
 4-H
United States Department of Commerce
 Is most concerned with promoting Economic Growth.
 Promotes job creation and improved living standards for all
Americans.
 Important Agencies:
 Census Bureau
 National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
 Patent and Trademark Office
United States Department of Defense
 In charge of all agencies and functions of the Armed Forces.
 This department is the largest employer in the world
 Important Agencies:
 Army, Navy (Marines), Air Force, National Guard
 Joint Chiefs of Staff
 National Security Agency (NSA)
 Pentagon
 West Point Military Academy
United States Department of Education
 Smallest of all the cabinet agencies with about 5,000 total
employees.
 Created in 1868, but not cabinet level until 1979
 Establishes policy for administering education, collects data
on schools, and enforces education laws.
 Major Agencies:
 Office for Civil Rights
 Office of Federal Student Aid
United States Department of Energy
 Concerned with policy regarding energy and safety in
handling nuclear material.
 Responsible for the nuclear weapons program. (Nuclear
Weapons are secured by the Navy)
 Supports physical science more than any other US
Department.
United States Department of Health and
Human Services
 Goal of protecting the health of all Americans.
 Motto is “Improving the health, safety, and well-being of
America”.
 Was originally combined with the
Department of Education.
 Major Agencies:
 Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC)
 Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
 Public Health Service
United States Department of Homeland
Security
 The newest cabinet department. Formed after 9/11
 Primary responsibility is protecting the US and its territories from and
responding to terror, man-made accidents, and natural disasters.
 Important Agencies:
 Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA)
 United States Coast Guard
 Transportation Security Administration
(TSA)
 US Border Patrol
 US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
 Secret Service
United States Department of Housing
and Urban Development (HUD)
 Founded in 1965 as part of Lydon Johnson’s Great Society
Program.
 The mission is to create strong, sustainable communities,
with quality affordable housing.
 Important Agencies:
 Federal Housing Administration
 Federal Housing Finance Agency
 Equal Employment Opportunity
United States Department of the Interior
 Responsible for the management of federal land and natural
resources.
 Important Agencies:
 Fish and Wildlife Service
 National Park Service
 United States Geological Survey
United States Department of Justice
 Responsible for the enforcement of law and administration of
justice.
 Department is led by the Attorney General.
 Important Agencies:
 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms,
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and Explosives (ATF)
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Federal Bureau of Prisons/National
Institute of Corrections
United States Marshals
United States Parole Commission
United States Department of Labor
 Responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour
standards, unemployment insurance benefits, reemployment services, and economic statistics.
United States Department of State
 The first established executive department
 Led by the Secretary of State
 Operates diplomatic missions of the US abroad and is
responsible for implementing foreign policy.
United States Department of
Transportation (DOT)
 Concerned with transportation.
 “Ensuing a fast, safe, efficient, accessible, and convenient
transportation system that meets our vital national interests
and enhances the quality of life of the American people,
today and into the future.”
 Important Agencies:
 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
 Federal Highway Administration
United States Department of the
Treasury
 Prints and mints all paper currency and coins in circulation.
 Collects all federal taxes.
 Manages all government debt.
 Important Agencies:
 Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
 United States Mint
United States Department of Veterans
Affairs
 Runs the military veteran benefit system.
 In charge of the VA Hospitals.
Independent Government Agencies
 Not all Government agencies are found in one of the three
branches, some of the most important are:
 Federal Trade Commission
 Consumer Product Safety Commission
 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
 National Science Foundation
 Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
 Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
 United States Postal Service (USPS)
 Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)