AP Gov: Bureaucracy Cabinet Departments

Department of Agriculture

Helps farmers improve their incomes and expand their markets. The department provides financial credit, assists farmers in protecting water and soil, and develops conservations programs

Department of Commerce

Promotes the nation’s international trade, economic development, and technological advancement. Its agencies include the Bureau of the Census, the Economic Development Administration, the United States Travel and Tourism Administration, and the Patent and Trademark Office

Department of Defense

Supports and defends the national security and upholds the national interest through military action. It oversees the armed forces through the Join Chiefs of Staff. The department supervises the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force

Department of Education

coordinates federal assistance programs for public and private schools as well as programs to help students with limited English proficiency and physical impairments.

The Department of Energy

sets national energy policies and researches and develops energy technology. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission sets rates for interstate distribution of natural gas and electricity.

Department of Health and Human Services

Supervises programs to protect public health and provide social services. Its agencies include the Public Health Service and the Food and Drug Administration. The Social Security Administration was a part of this department until 1994.

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Supports preservation of the nation’s communities, protects equal housing opportunities, and conducts a number of insurance, rent subsidy, and grant programs. Examples of the agencies it oversees are the Government National Mortgage Association and the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.

Department of the Interior

Protects public lands and natural resources and oversees relations with Native Americans. Some of its agencies include the National Park Service, the Bureau of Mines, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and United States Fish and Wildlife Service

Department of Justice

represents the government in legal matters and provides the means for the enforcement of federal laws. Its agencies include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

Department of Labor

Promotes the welfare of workers by setting and enforcing a minimum wage, overseeing and ensuring safe working conditions, and protecting pensions. Agencies include the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Employment and Training Administration, and the Office of Labor-Management Standards.

Department of State

Responsible for foreign policy of the United States. It includes all US embassies and consulates to countries throughout the world. The Secretary of state, usually one of the President’s most trusted advisers, is a high-profile negotiator in world affairs discussions.

Department of Transportation

Regulates policy development and planning for all forms of transportation, including air traffic, railroads, highways, and mass transit. It also supervises the United States Coast Guard and the Merchant Marine.

Department of the Treasury

Formulates and sets finance and tax policy, mages the debt, collects taxes, manufactures coins and currency, and serves as financial agent for the United States.

Department of Veterans Affairs

Administers laws that provide benefits for former member so the armed services and their dependents and beneficiaries.

Department of Homeland and Security

Responsible for all issues related to homeland (domestic) security. Including immigration, counter-terrorism, and natural disaster. Agencies include FEMA and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and the Secret Service.