Common government acronyms are the shorthand names for federal agencies, offices, and programs — the IRS, FBI, HUD, and dozens more that show up on forms, in the news, and in official letters without ever being spelled out. The list below groups them by the part of daily life they touch, so you can find the one you saw and get a plain definition of what it stands for and what it actually does.
National Security and Intelligence
DoD — Department of Defense. The cabinet-level department that oversees all branches of the military, from troop deployments to weapons procurement. Headquartered at the Pentagon.
CIA — Central Intelligence Agency. Collects foreign intelligence and carries out covert operations abroad. Case officers recruit and handle foreign sources; paramilitary operations officers run covert action programs.1Central Intelligence Agency. Intelligence and Operations
NSA — National Security Agency. Leads the government’s cryptology work. In practice, that means intercepting and analyzing foreign communications while protecting the security of U.S. government systems.2Intelligence.gov. National Security Agency
FBI — Federal Bureau of Investigation. Both a law enforcement agency and a domestic intelligence service. Investigates federal crimes including terrorism, cybercrime, public corruption, and organized crime.3Federal Bureau of Investigation. About
DHS — Department of Homeland Security. Created after the September 11 attacks to consolidate domestic security functions and coordinate counterterrorism.
CBP — U.S. Customs and Border Protection. A DHS agency that combines customs, immigration, and border security into a single operation.4Department of Homeland Security. Border Security
ICE — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Also within DHS. Investigates cross-border crime, immigration violations, and transnational criminal organizations.5U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Homeland Security Investigations
Money, Taxes, and Financial Regulation
IRS — Internal Revenue Service. The bureau within the Treasury Department that collects federal taxes and administers the tax code. Congress writes tax law through the Internal Revenue Code; Treasury issues the regulations that tell taxpayers how to comply.6Internal Revenue Service. Tax Code, Regulations and Official Guidance
SEC — Securities and Exchange Commission. Regulates the stock markets and requires publicly traded companies to disclose financial information. Congress created it through the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and it oversees brokerage firms, exchanges, and self-regulatory organizations like the NYSE and NASDAQ.7U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Laws That Govern the Securities Industry
FINRA — Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Not a government agency. It is a self-regulatory organization registered with the SEC that supervises broker-dealer firms.8FINRA. About FINRA
FDIC — Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Insures deposits at member banks up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank. Created to prevent the bank runs that deepened the Great Depression; also examines banks for safety and consumer protection.9Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. About the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
NCUA — National Credit Union Administration. Does for credit unions what the FDIC does for banks. Insures member deposits up to $250,000 through the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund, backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.10National Credit Union Administration. About NCUA
CFPB — Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Regulates banks, lenders, and other financial companies to make sure consumers are treated fairly. Writes rules against unfair or deceptive practices and enforces laws that prohibit lending discrimination.11Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. About Us
FTC — Federal Trade Commission. Enforces consumer protection and antitrust laws. Combats fraud, deceptive advertising, and anticompetitive business practices.12Federal Trade Commission. Enforcement
OMB — Office of Management and Budget. Helps the President prepare the annual federal budget and oversees how executive branch agencies carry it out.13The White House. Office of Management and Budget
SBA — Small Business Administration. The only cabinet-level federal agency fully dedicated to small businesses. Provides counseling, guaranteed loan programs, and access to federal contracting opportunities.14U.S. Small Business Administration. About SBA
Health and Public Benefits
HHS — Department of Health and Human Services. The cabinet-level department responsible for health and social service programs. Most of the agencies below sit under it.
CDC — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The national public health agency. Researches disease outbreaks, tracks health threats, and issues guidance on things like vaccination schedules and emergency preparedness.
FDA — Food and Drug Administration. Reviews and approves drugs, medical devices, and biological products before they reach the market. Also oversees the safety of the national food supply.
NIH — National Institutes of Health. The federal government’s primary medical research agency. Funds outside research grants and runs its own laboratory research across 27 specialized institutes and centers.15National Institutes of Health. Grants and Funding
CMS — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Administers Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP.
CHIP — Children’s Health Insurance Program. Provides health coverage to children in families that earn too much for Medicaid but cannot afford private insurance. Administered together with Medicaid under CMS.16Medicaid.gov. About the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services
SSA — Social Security Administration. Runs the federal programs that pay retirement, disability, and survivors benefits. Funded through payroll taxes.17Social Security Administration. Survivor Benefits
Work and Workplaces
DOL — Department of Labor. The cabinet-level department that promotes the welfare of wage earners, job seekers, and retirees.18U.S. Department of Labor. Our Mission
WHD — Wage and Hour Division. A DOL division that enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act and other laws on minimum wage, overtime pay, and worker classification.19U.S. Department of Labor. Wage and Hour Division
OSHA — Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Sets and enforces workplace safety standards through inspections, training, and whistleblower protections.20Occupational Safety and Health Administration. About OSHA
EEOC — Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Enforces federal laws against workplace discrimination based on race, sex, age, disability, religion, national origin, and genetic information. Generally, you must file a charge with the EEOC before you can sue an employer for discrimination.21U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. How to File a Charge of Employment Discrimination
NLRB — National Labor Relations Board. Protects the rights of most private-sector employees to organize, form unions, and bargain collectively. Oversees union representation elections and investigates unfair labor practice charges.22National Labor Relations Board. Rights We Protect
Environment, Transportation, and Emergencies
EPA — Environmental Protection Agency. Writes and enforces regulations that protect human health and the environment. Environmental rules sit under Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations.23U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Laws and Regulations
DOT — Department of Transportation. Oversees the nation’s air, rail, highway, and maritime systems through sub-agencies including the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.24U.S. Department of Transportation. Safety
FEMA — Federal Emergency Management Agency. Coordinates the federal response to natural disasters and other emergencies. Sits within DHS. Provides financial assistance to individuals and to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments recovering from a disaster.25Federal Emergency Management Agency. Get Assistance After a Disaster
NOAA — National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Forecasts weather, monitors ocean conditions, and manages coastal and marine resources.26National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. About Our Agency
USGS — United States Geological Survey. The government’s science agency for natural hazards, water resources, and ecosystems. Monitors earthquakes, volcanic activity, and landslides.27U.S. Geological Survey. Natural Hazards Mission Area
FERC — Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Regulates the interstate transmission and wholesale sale of electricity and natural gas. Also reviews pipeline construction and hydroelectric dam licensing. It does not regulate the retail electricity or gas prices you pay at home.28Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. What FERC Does
Schools and Housing
ED (or DOE) — Department of Education. Promotes educational excellence and equal access. For most people, its biggest practical role is administering federal student aid: Direct Loans, Pell Grants, and income-driven repayment plans.
FAFSA — Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The form that opens the door to that federal student aid.
HUD — Department of Housing and Urban Development. Works on affordable housing and enforces fair housing laws. Funds programs like the Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly called Section 8, which helps low-income families, elderly individuals, veterans, and people with disabilities afford housing in the private market.29U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Housing Choice Voucher Tenants
Congress and the Courts
SCOTUS — Supreme Court of the United States. The highest court in the country and the final word on whether a law or government action violates the Constitution. Most cases arrive through appellate jurisdiction, meaning the Court reviews decisions made by lower federal courts or state supreme courts.30United States Courts. About the Supreme Court
GAO — Government Accountability Office. An independent, nonpartisan agency that audits and investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer money.31U.S. Government Accountability Office. What GAO Does
CBO — Congressional Budget Office. Produces nonpartisan analyses of budget and economic issues for Congress. When a new bill is proposed, CBO estimates what it will cost. CBO does not make policy recommendations.32Congressional Budget Office. Congressional Budget Office
CRS — Congressional Research Service. Congress’s in-house research arm, housed within the Library of Congress. Assists lawmakers from early research through committee hearings to oversight of enacted laws.33Library of Congress. About CRS
Elections and Campaign Money
FEC — Federal Election Commission. Administers and enforces federal campaign finance law for U.S. House, Senate, and presidential campaigns, including public disclosure, contribution limits, and public financing of presidential elections.34Federal Election Commission. Mission and History
PAC — Political Action Committee. A political committee that pools contributions from individuals and donates the money to federal candidates or parties. “Super PACs,” formally called independent-expenditure-only committees, can accept unlimited contributions but cannot donate directly to candidates or coordinate with their campaigns.35Federal Election Commission. Contribution Limits
Public Records
FOIA — Freedom of Information Act. Codified at 5 U.S.C. § 552. Gives anyone the right to request records from federal agencies, with a formal process for the agency to respond and for you to appeal a denial.36Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 552
NARA — National Archives and Records Administration. Preserves and provides public access to the historical records of the United States, from the original Constitution and Declaration of Independence to the day-to-day records of federal agencies. Sets the standards for how agencies create, manage, and dispose of records.37National Archives. Mission, Vision and Values