Major Federal Departments, Agencies, and Commissions
Terms
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- Dept of Agriculture
- 1889 develops and executes policy on farming, agriculture, and food.Includes Forest Service,Farm Service Admin., agriculture Research Service
- Dept. of Commerce
- 1913. Promotes economic growth and job creation; gathers economic and demographic data for business & govt decision making; issues patents and trade marks through US Patent & Trademark office; also includes NIST, NOAA
- Dept. of Defense
- 1947 (War 1789) Initiated by Washington and created by congress as Dept. of War in 1st cabinet. coordinates and supervises all functions of government relating to national security and military defense.
- Dept. of Education
- 1979 Smallest cabinet level dept with 4500 employees; devises and executes education policy on federal level; manages federal student aide programs.
- Dept. of Energy
- 1977 Devises and executes policy on energy and nuclear safety. Includes FERC Strategic Petroleum Reserve
- Dept. of Health and Human Services
- 1953 Created as Health, Education, and Welfare, changed in 1980 to HHS; protects health of people in the US and provides essential human services;includes CDC, NIH, FDA.
- Dept. of Homeland Security
- 2002 Responsible fort protecting US territory from terrorist attacks and responding to national disasters, includes FEMA, INS,TSA, customs, secret service.
- Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
- 1965 Develops and executes policy on housing and cities, focuses primarily on housing.
- Dept. of the Interior
- 1849 Manages and conserves most federally owned land. Includes National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, etc.
- Dept. of Justice
- 1789 (1870 officially) Attorney General was originally advisor to the president and part of original cabinet. Enforces laws and defends interest os US government; ensures fair and impartial admin. of justice for all Americans.
- Dept. of Labor
- 1913 Responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance and economies stats. Includes Mine Safety,Bureau of labor stats, etc
- Dept. of State
- Initiated by Washington and created by Congress as part of first Cabinet. Operation of US diplomacy; ambassadors, embassies, consulates in foreign countries are under control of State Dept. Sec of State usually president's top diplomatic representative to other countries as well as his top foreign policy advisor. Sec of State designated to receive presidential resignation letters. Fourth in line to succeed to presidency after VP, House Speaker, President Pro Tem of Senate. First Sec of State: Jefferson
- Dept. of Transportation
- 1966 Devises and executes policy on transporation; includes FAA, FHA, NHTSA.
- Dept. of the Treasury
- 1789 Initiated by Washington and created by Congress as part of first Cabinet. Prints and mints all paper currency and coins through Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Collects federal taxes through Internal Revenue Service. Advises president on financial issues. Enforces tax evasion, counterfeiting, smuggling, and gun law violations at federal level.
- Dept. of Veterans affairs
- 1989 Administers policy on veterans benefits for veterans, their families, and their survivors.
- Agency for International Development
- USAID Independent agency responsible for administering most US government foreign aid, under direction of Secretary of State.
- National Railroad passenger Corporation
- Amtrak Quasi-governmental agency/corporation created by Congress in 1971 to administer passenger rail service in the US
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and firearms
- BATF or ATF Regulatory and law-enforcement agency, part of US Department of Justice, responsible for enforcement of firearms and explosives laws
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- BEP Part of Treasury Department; prints US currency, stamps, and other government security documents
- Central Intelligence Agency
- CIA Independent intelligence agency of US government. Gathers information and conducts covert operations. Head reports to President.
- Consumer Product Safety Commission
- CPSC Independent regulatory agency created in 1972; responsible for protecting consumers against "unreasonable risks of injuries associated with consumer products"
- Defense Intelligence Agency
- DIA Intelligence-gathering agency of Department of Defense
- Drug Enforcement Admin.
- DEA Drug-enforcement agency of Department of Justice; responsible for enforcement of Controlled Substances Act of 1970
- Environmental Protection agency
- EPA Independent regulatory agency, created in 1970 and charged with enforcement of environmental laws and protecting human health
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- EEOC Created by President Kennedy and charged with ending employment discrimination in the US
- Federal Aviation Admin.
- FAA agency of the United States Department of Transportation with authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S; created in 1958.
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- FBI agency of the United States Department of Transportation with authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S; created in 1958.
- Federal Communications Commission
- FCC Independent agency created by Federal Communications Act of 1934 and charged with regulating all non-federal use of the radio spectrum
- Federal Deposit Insurance corp.
- FDIC Federal government corporation created in 1933 to provide bank depositors insurance of up to $100,000 per account; designed to prevent bank failures
- Federal Elections Committee
- FEC Federal agency created in 1974 to enforce federal campaign finance legislation
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- FEMA Created as independent agency in 1979 to administer federal response to emergencies and disasters; now part of Dept of Homeland Security
- Federal Reserve System
- The Fed Quasi-governmental banking system of US government; responsible for monetary policy and regulation of banking system
- Federal Trade Commission
- FTC Independent agency created in 1914 to protect consumers and prevent anticompetitive business practices
- Food & Drug Admin.
- FDA Agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services; responsible for regulating food, dietary supplements, drugs, biological medical products, blood products, medical devices, radiation-emitting devices, veterinary products, and cosmetics in the United States.
- Gov Accountability Office
- GAO Non-partisan audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of Congress; created in 1921; investigates misuse of public funds
- Gov printing Office
- GPO Agency of legislative branch of US government responsible for printing all documents related to legislation and the functioning of Congress
- General Services Admin.
- GSA Agency established in 1949 to support the basic functioning of US government agencies (buildings, supplies, etc.)
- Immigration & Naturalization Services
- INS No longer exists separate from Dept of Homeland Security; now mostly Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
- Internal Revenue Forces
- IRS Bureau of Department of Treasury; responsible for collecting taxes.
- International Monetary Fund
- IMF international organization that monitors exchange rates and offers financial assistance and advice to countries when requested
- National Aeronautics and Space Admin.
- NASA Established in 1958 to administer the US government's space program
- National Achieves and Records Admin.
- NARA Independent agency charged with preserving and documenting government and historical records
- National Endowment of the Arts
- NEA Federally funded program that offers support and funding for projects that exhibit artistic excellence; founded in 1965
- National Endowment for the Humanities
- NEH Federally funded program supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities; founded in 1965
- National Highway Traffic Safety Admin.
- NHTSA Independent agency charged with saving lives by improving vehicle safety. Founded in 1970.
- National Institutes of Health
- NIH Agency part of Dept of Health and Human Services; responsible for biomedical research
- National Security Agency
- NSA Cryptological agency of US government, founded in 1952; collects and analyzes foreign data
- National Transportation Safety Board
- NTSB Independent agency responsible for investigation of accidents involving aviation, highway, marine, pipelines and railroads in the United States.
- Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- NRC Federal government agency responsible for oversight of nuclear energy matters and nuclear safety.
- Occupational Safety and Health Admin.
- OSHRC Agency of Department of Labor charged with preventing workplace injuries and illnesses; created in 1970
- Office of Personal Management
- OPM independent agency of US government that administers the civil service system; replaced on Civil Service Commission in 1979
- Peace Corps
- Independent agency of US government; established in 1961 to promote world friendship and peace by sending volunteer workers to countries in need
- Securities & Exchange Commission
- SEC Federal agency responsible for regulating the securities industry (stock transactions); created in 1934
- Selective Service System
- SSS Agency of US government created in 1917 to administer the draft
- Small Business Admin.
- SBA Created in 1953; agency of US government designed to promote the interests of small business, including providing loans
- Social Security Admin.
- Agency of US government; administers Social Security system
- US Postal Service
- Independent component of executive branch; quasi-governmental agency; founded as Post Office Department in 1775 by Benjamin Franklin
- Voice of America
- VOA Official radio and television broadcasting entity of US government.