List of federal agencies in the United States


Legislative definitions of an agency of the federal government of the United States are varied, and even contradictory. The official United States Government Manual offers no definition. While the Administrative Procedure Act definition of "agency" applies to most executive branch agencies, Congress may define an agency however it chooses in enabling legislation, and through subsequent litigation often involving the Freedom of Information Act and the Government in the Sunshine Act. These further cloud attempts to enumerate a list of agencies.
The executive branch of the federal government includes the Executive Office of the President and the United States federal executive departments. Employees of the majority of these agencies are considered civil servants.
The majority of the independent agencies of the United States government are also classified as executive agencies. There are a small number of independent agencies that are not considered part of the executive branch, such as the Congressional Research Service and the United States Sentencing Commission, which are legislative and judicial agencies, respectively.

United States Congress

The U.S. Congress is the bicameral legislature of the United States government, and is made up of two chambers: the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. Together, the two chambers exercise authority over the following legislative agencies:
The legislature also oversees the Library of Congress, a national library dedicated to national records, which administers various programs, agencies, and services including:

Federal judiciary of the United States

The federal judiciary consists of courts established under Article Three of the United States Constitution. These are the following:
The Bankruptcy Courts, while not established as Article III courts, are legally designated as "units of the district courts."
The judicial branch includes the following agencies:

Executive Office of the President

The President of the United States is the chief executive of the federal government. He is in charge of executing federal laws and approving, or vetoing, new legislation passed by Congress. The President resides in the Executive Residence maintained by the Office of Administration.
To effectively run the country's affairs, the President also maintains councils regarding various issues, including:

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)


Mission Areas

Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC)

Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services (FNCS)

Food Safety (OFS)

Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP)

Natural Resources and Environment (NRE)

Research, Education, and Economics (REE)

Rural Development (RD)

Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs (TFAA)

United States Department of Commerce

Office of the Secretary (OS)

Bureaus

United States Department of Education

Office of Deputy Secretary of Education (ODSE)

United States Department of Energy

United States Department of Health and Human Services

United States Department of Homeland Security

Headquarters Offices and Directorates

Component Agencies

United States Department of Housing and Urban Development

Executive Offices

  • Office of the Secretary
  • * Office of the Deputy Secretary
  • * Office of Hearings and Appeals
  • * Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
  • * Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
  • Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations
  • Office of Public Affairs

Administrative Offices

  • Office of Departmental Equal Employment Opportunity
  • Office of General Counsel
  • * Departmental Enforcement Center
  • Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration
  • * Chief Administrative Office
  • * Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer
  • * Office of the Chief Procurement Officer
  • Office of the Chief Financial Officer
  • Office of the Chief Information Officer
  • Office of Inspector General

Agencies

United States Department of the Interior (DOI)

United States Department of Justice (DOJ)

United States Department of Labor (DOL)

Office of the Secretary (OSEC)

Administrations

Boards under the Office of Administrative Law Judges

Bureaus

Miscellaneous

United States Department of State (DOS)

Office of the Secretary

Reporting to the Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources

  • Office of Foreign Assistance

Reporting to the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security

Reporting to the Under Secretary for Human Rights, Civilian Security, and Democracy

Reporting to the Under Secretary for Environment, Energy, and Economic Growth

Reporting to the Under Secretary for Management

Reporting to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs

Reporting to the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs

Permanent diplomatic missions

United States Department of Transportation

Operating administrations

United States Department of the Treasury

Departmental offices

Source:

Bureaus

Source:

Independent agencies, tribunals, and government-owned corporations

Administration, records, and federal property

Civil rights

Civil service

Commerce

Defense and security

Elections

Education and broadcasting

Energy, science, and technology

Foreign relations

Interior

Labor

Monetary and financial

Postal

Retirement and healthcare

Seat of government

Transportation

Volunteerism

Joint programs and interagency agencies

Special Inspector General Office

Quasi-official organizations

Arts & culture

Memorial

Commerce and technology

Defense and diplomacy

Human service and community development

Interior

Law and justice