Federal Agencies

There are well over a thousand distinct agencies and organizations across all three branches of the U.S. federal government: Legislative branch (Congress); Executive branch (Presidential departments and independent agencies); and Judicial branch (Supreme Court and Circuit Courts). Here's a link to over 1,300 of them: http://www.lib.lsu.edu/gov/fedgov.html.

Each of these agencies carry out a particular function of the government, whether operational or as safety nets.  A safety net is a policy that ensures a minimum income, consumption, or wage level for everyone in a society or subgroup.  It may also provide people with protection against risks, such as lost income, limited access to credit, or devastation from natural disasters.

Below are a few of the more significant federal agencies.  Use this table to answer the activity questions below.