Departments & agencies
The executive branch is more than the President. It runs from the President's own office down through the Cabinet departments, the independent agencies and regulatory commissions, and the government corporations. The thing that most distinguishes them is how much the President controls each one, whether its leaders serve at the President's pleasure or can be removed only for cause.
An independent agency is one Congress deliberately insulated from at-will presidential control, typically a multi-member, party-balanced commission whose members serve fixed, staggered terms and can be removed only for cause. A few are insulated further still by funding themselves outside the annual appropriations Congress controls. This is the line the Supreme Court has been redrawing in cases from Humphrey's Executor to Seila Law.
The independence spectrum
The same entities, arranged by how insulated their leadership is from the President, from offices that serve entirely at the President's pleasure to bodies protected by for-cause removal and their own funding.
Explore by branch of the executive
Executive Office of the President
8The President's own staff and policy councils, closest to the President, serving entirely at the President's pleasure.
Advises the President on economic policy using data and research.
White House office that advises the President on environmental policy and NEPA.
President's top forum for coordinating national security and foreign policy
Prepares the President's budget and oversees agency spending, management, and regulations
Coordinates federal drug-control policy and sets the National Drug Control Strategy.
Advises the President on science and technology and coordinates federal R&D policy.
Develops and negotiates U.S. international trade and tariff policy.
The President's personal staff, supporting day-to-day governing and policymaking
Cabinet departments
15The great departments, each led by a Senate-confirmed Secretary who serves at the President's pleasure.
Sets U.S. farm, food, nutrition, and rural policy and inspects the food supply.
Promotes U.S. economic growth, trade, technology, and innovation.
Runs the U.S. military to deter war and protect national security.
Cabinet department that funds and oversees U.S. education and enforces school civil rights.
Sets U.S. energy policy and stewards the nation's nuclear weapons and science labs.
Federal department protecting Americans' health and providing essential human services.
Protects the U.S. from terrorism, border, cyber, and disaster threats
Federal department for housing, fair housing, and community development
Enforces federal law and represents the United States in legal matters.
Promotes workers' welfare, wages, safe conditions, and employment opportunity.
Leads U.S. foreign policy and diplomacy with other nations and international bodies.
Manages U.S. public lands, natural resources, and tribal and territorial affairs.
Manages U.S. government finances, collects revenue, and shapes economic policy.
Oversees U.S. transportation policy and safety across air, road, rail, transit, and water.
Delivers health care, benefits, and burial services to U.S. military veterans.
Independent regulatory commissions
16Multi-member, often party-balanced bodies whose members serve fixed, staggered terms and can be removed only for cause.
Regulates U.S. derivatives markets: futures, options, and swaps.
Protects the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death from consumer products.
Enforces federal laws barring workplace discrimination.
Regulates U.S. radio, TV, wire, satellite, and broadband communications.
Enforces and administers federal campaign finance law for U.S. elections.
Regulates interstate electricity, natural gas, oil pipelines, and hydropower.
Oversees labor-management relations for most federal government employees
Regulates U.S. international ocean shipping to keep it fair and competitive
The U.S. central bank: sets monetary policy and supervises banks.
Protects consumers and competition by enforcing antitrust and anti-fraud laws.
Charters and regulates federal credit unions and insures members' deposits.
Protects private-sector workers' rights to organize and curbs unfair labor practices.
Regulates civilian use of nuclear materials to protect health, safety, and environment.
Independent regulator of U.S. Postal Service rates, service, and finances
Regulates securities markets to protect investors and ensure fair, orderly trading.
Independent economic regulator of U.S. freight railroads and some surface transportation.
Independent agencies
20Agencies outside the Cabinet departments, some led at the President's pleasure, others shielded from at-will removal.
Collects and analyzes foreign intelligence and conducts covert action for U.S. security.
Protects consumers in the market for financial products and services.
Sets and enforces national rules to protect human health and the environment
Independent regulator of the Farm Credit System and Farmer Mac.
Regulates and conserves Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks.
Runs the federal government's buildings, purchasing, and shared IT services.
Independent board that safeguards federal merit-system rules and hears civil-service appeals
Runs U.S. civilian space exploration, aeronautics, and Earth and space science.
Preserves U.S. government records and makes them available to the public.
Resolves labor disputes in the U.S. railroad and airline industries.
Funds basic research and education across non-medical science and engineering.
Independent board that investigates transportation accidents and recommends safety fixes.
Leads the executive branch's program to prevent and resolve conflicts of interest.
Runs the federal civil service: hiring rules, benefits, and retirement.
Protects federal whistleblowers and enforces civil-service and Hatch Act rules.
Leads and coordinates the 18-member U.S. intelligence community.
Sends American volunteers abroad to aid development and build understanding.
Helps Americans start, grow, and rebuild small businesses.
Runs federal retirement, survivors, and disability benefits for U.S. workers.
Administered U.S. civilian foreign aid, global health, and humanitarian relief abroad
Government corporations
8Business-like federal entities, often self-funded, run by boards, from the Postal Service to the FDIC.
Funds national service programs like AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors
Official U.S. export credit agency that finances American exports.
Insures bank deposits and supervises U.S. banks to keep the financial system stable.
Operates the nation's intercity passenger rail network.
Insures private-sector defined-benefit pensions so retirees keep getting paid.
Federally owned utility that generates electricity and manages the Tennessee River.
Finances private investment in developing countries to advance U.S. foreign policy
Delivers the nation's mail as a self-funded government postal service.