Learning Resources Division: Government Information Help Guide: Government Agencies (2024)

A government agency is a permanent or semi-permanent organization within a national or state government. These agencies are responsible for oversight or administration of a specific sector, field, or area of study. Most government agencies are meant to be non-political but the direction and intention of their work may change depending on which political party makes up the majority of elected officials.

The work of many government agencies is mandated and directed by law. Agencies may work individually on in cooperation with other agencies or non-government entities on their assigned work.

• A-Z Index of U.S. Government Departments and Agencies

The list below contains popular or important government agencies. The link sends you to that agency's page on USA.gov where you can find their website, contact information, and a summary of the work conducted in the agency.

Major Departments

• Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Department of Commerce (DOC)

• Department of Defense (DOD)

• Department of Education (ED)

• Department of Energy (DOE)

• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

• Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

• Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

  See Also

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• Department of Justice (DOJ)

• Department of Labor (DOL)

• Department of the Interior (DOI)

• Department of the Treasury

• Department of Transportation (DOT)

• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

• State Department (DOS)

• Administration for Native Americans

• Agency for International Development (USAID)

• Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bureau (ATF)

• Americorps

• Army Corps of Engineers

• Bureau of Indian Affairs

• Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

• Bureau of Prisons (BOP)

• Census Bureau

• Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP)

• Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR)

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

  See Also

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• Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

• Commission on Civil Rights

• Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

• Congressional Research Service

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

• Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

• Council of Economic Advisers

• Customs and Border Protection

• Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

• Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

• Federal Elections Commission (FEC)

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

• Federal Housing Administration (FHA)

• Federal Student Aid Information Center

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

• Geological Survey (USGS)

• Government Accountability Office (GAO)

• Government Printing Office (GPO)

• Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

• Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

• National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)

• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

• National Institutes of Health (NIH)

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

• National Park Service (NPS)

• National Passport Information Center (NPIC)

• National Science Foundation (NSF)

• National Security Agency (NSA)

• National Security Council (NSC)

• National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

• National Weather Service

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

• Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

• Office of Refugee Resettlement

• Postal Service (USPS)

• Small Business Administration (SBA)

• Social Security Administration (SSA)

• Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

• Veterans Health Administration (VHA)