The Federal Agencies/Departments: Our Nitty Gritty Bureaucracy

Directions: You will be researching the purpose/function of the agencies that makeup our large bureaucracy. You will be putting this information into a PowerPoint presentation. You will be responsible for one agency/department in each of the four categories (Six Total Slides). You will have a quiz on the functions of these bureaucratic agencies after the presentations.

*Specific Requirements: For each agency, put the following info on 1 PowerPoint slideà

- 3-4 statements explaining the purpose/function of the bureaucratic agency; include year founded

- List the leader(s) of the agency/department

- List the 2009 budget for the Cabinet Department ONLY

- Find and include a political cartoon that corresponds to at least two of the bureaucratic agencies/departments you are researching

à You need to be able to explain the cartoonist’s point of view for each cartoon

à One cartoon should fit in one slide

- Utilize visuals to help you and your classmates internalize the purpose of these departments/agencies

- Be succinct when you use words and be professional when you present!

Cabinet Department:

A. State Department

B. Department of Defense

C. Department of Homeland Security

D. Commerce Department

E. Treasury Department

F. Department of Health and Human Services

G. Energy Department

H. Justice Department

Independent Executive Agency:

A. Commission on Civil Rights

B. Small Businesses Administration (SBA)

C. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

D. General Services Administration (GSA)

E. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

F. The Smithsonian Institution

G. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

H. National Science Foundation

Independent Regulatory Agency:

A. Federal Reserve System Board of Governors (the Fed)

B. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

C. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

D. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

E. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

F. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

G. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

H. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Government Corporation:

A. US Postal Service (USPS)

B. National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK)

C. Corporation for National and Community Service

D. Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)

E. Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)

F. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC)

G. Export/Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank)

H. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

Resources: I recommend these sites, but you can obviously use others

* I recommend you go to each of the agency/department web sites before going to any other website!

- http://sks.sirs.com/ (username & password = pgcps)

- http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fy2010_factsheets_departments/ (Budget Information Assistance)

- http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/independent-agencies.html

- http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/Independent.shtml

- http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/expectmore/index.html