The stated mission of every U.S. government agency and department is to improve the lives of Americans in some way. Massive amounts of research and policy planning preceded the creation of each agency, with each designed to improve or address specific issues or problems. And while not all programs are successful, the majority contribute the kind of knowledge and management that affects American society for the better.
Use the list below to add to your knowledge of government agencies and the type of work they have done. As you read a description of each agency, ask yourself how your own life is impacted (or could be affected in the future) by each organization.
| National Weather Service | This government agency doesn't just make your life more convenient by forecasting the daily weather. It also helps ensure the safety of planes in the air and ships at sea, and it has saved countless lives with its hurricane and tornado warnings. |
| Student Financial Aid Program | The federal grants, loans, and work study money offered by the Department of Education form the largest source of college financial assistance, providing billions of dollars in funding each year. These programs have worked to remove financial barriers for students and to create more equal opportunity in higher education. |
| National Institutes for Health | Most research on basic scientific topics--such as physics, biology, and chemistry--cannot be applied immediately to the production of consumer products, so this work is highly dependent on government funding. Federal funds pay for 80% of the basic science research in this country through universities and in other government agencies like the NIH. |
| Consumer Protection | In reaction to increasing public pressure in the early 1970s, the U.S. government began to pass legislation intended to protect consumers from inferior and dangerous products. The Consumer Product Safety Commission remains the key agency enforcing these laws. The need it fills is still a vital one as commercial products kill over 20,000 consumers a year and injure over 25 million more. |
| Department of Defense | Most Americans will admit that we owe our sense of security and freedom to the military. A lesser known fact, though, is that the internet began as a Department of Defense initiative. Scientists and researchers used it to communicate and share data with one another during the Cold War. |
| The Interstate Highway System | This system forms the backbone of long-distance travel and commerce in the United States. It makes up less than 1% of our highways but carries almost a quarter of all roadway traffic. It has also allowed millions of Americans to move out of big cities and live in more pleasant suburban and small town environments. |
| The Montgomery GI Bill | Since the end of World War II, the GI Bill has provided government funds for veterans interested in pursuing a college degree. In turn, GI Bill beneficiaries changed the face of higher education. The bill dramatically raised the educational level of the general population, and the productivity of the American workforce as well. |
| Public Health Programs | A variety of programs run by the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state and local Public Health departments have greatly improved the health of most Americans. Because of these agencies' work, polio, cholera, and smallpox have been effectively eradicated from this country because of the vaccine research and distribution programs run by these agencies. |
Check your understanding of the ways government agencies impact your life. Match the following agency or program to its outcome.
Student Financial Aid
GI Bill
Interstate Highways
Vaccinations
Weather Service
increased diversity in colleges and universities
raised the educational level of the workforce
connected citizens and supported trade
minimized death from disease
prevented deaths caused by natural disaster
Directions
To match items, click or tap an item in the left column and then click or tap its match in the right column. If you change your mind, make a different choice. Once you have matched all items, click "Check Answers" to see how you did. Click "Reset" to try again.
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