This document outlines the 15 executive departments of the US government, including their founding year, principal functions, and important agencies. It details each department's role, such as the Department of State advising on foreign policy and negotiating agreements, the Department of Treasury producing currency and collecting taxes, and the Department of Homeland Security providing border security and emergency response.

1. The Fifteen Executive
Departments

2. Executive
Branch

3. Department of
State (1789)
Principal Functions:
Advises the President on foreign policy
Negotiates agreements with foreign
countries
Represents the US abroad and in
international organizations
Important Agencies:
Foreign Service
Bureau of Diplomatic Security
Bureau of International Organization
Affairs

4. Department of
Treasury (1789)
Principal Functions:
Produces coins and bills
Collects taxes
Borrows money and manages public debt
Important Agencies:
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Bureau of the Public Debt
United States Mint

5. Department of
Defense (1789)
Principal Functions:
Provides military forces to deter war and
protect the nation’s security
Important Agencies:
Joint Chiefs of Staff
Departments of the Army, the Navy, and
the Air Force

6. Department of
Justice (1870)
Principal Functions:
Prosecute those accused of violating federal
law
Enforces federal laws
Operates federal prisons
Provides legal advice to the President
Represents the US in court
Important Agencies:
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
US Marshals Service

7. Department of
Interior (1849)
Principal Functions:
Manages public lands, wildlife refuges, and
national parks
Operates hydroelectric power plants
Helps Native Americans manage their
affairs
Important Agencies:
US Fish and Wildlife Services
National Park Service
Bureau of Indian Affairs

8. Department of
Agriculture
(1889)
Principal Functions:
Manages national forests
Inspects food
Assists farmers and ranchers
Administers food stamp and school lunch
programs
Important Agencies:
Agricultural Research Service
Food and Nutrition Service
Forest Service

9. Department of
Commerce
(1903)
Principal Functions:
Conducts census
Grants patents and registers trademarks
Promotes internal trade, economic growth,
and technological development
Important Agencies:
Bureau of the Census
Patent andTrademark Office
International Trade Administration

10. Department of
Labor (1913)
Principal Functions:
Enforces federal laws on minimum wages,
maximum hours and safe working
conditions
Operates job training programs
Administers unemployment insurance and
workers’ compensation programs
Important Agencies:
Employment Standards Administration
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Women’s Bureau

11. Department of
Health and
Human
Services (1953)
Principal Functions:
Funds healthcare research programs
Conducts programs to prevent and control
disease
Enforces pure food and drug laws
Administers Medicare and Medicaid
Important Agencies:
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
National Institutes of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC)

12. Department of
Housing and
Urban
Development
(1965)
Principal Functions:
Operates home-financing and public
housing programs
Enforces fair housing laws
Important Agencies:
Office of Housing
Office of Fair Housing and Equal
Opportunity
Government National Mortgage
Association

13. Department of
Transportation
(1967)
Principal Functions:
Administers programs to promote and
regulate highways, mass transit, railroads,
waterways, air travel, and oil and gas
pipelines
Important Agencies:
Federal Highway Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Railroad Administration
Maritime Administration

14. Department of
Energy (1977)
Principal Functions:
Promotes production of renewable energy,
fossil fuels, and nuclear energy
Transmits and sells hydroelectric power
Conducts nuclear weapons research and
production
Important Agencies:
 Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy
 Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and
Technology
 Regional Power Administration

15. Department of
Education
(1979)
Principal Functions:
Administers federal aid to schools
Conducts educational research
Important Agencies:
Office of Elementary and Secondary
Education
Office of Postsecondary Education

16. Department of
Veterans
Affairs (1988)
Principal Functions:
Administers benefits, pensions, and
medical programs for veterans of the
armed forces
Oversees military cemeteries
Important Agencies
Veterans Benefits Administration
Veterans Health Administration
National Cemetery Administration

17. Department of
Homeland
Security (2002)
Principal Functions:
Border and transportation security
Emergency preparedness and response
Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear
defense
Information analysis and infrastructure
protection
Important Agencies:
 Coast Guard
 Secret Service
 US Citizenship and Immigration Services
 US Immigration and Customs Enforcement