Branches

The three constitutional branches — legislative, executive, and judicial — and the core institutions that make each one work. · 76 entries

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The Appropriations Committees

The House and Senate committees that write the spending bills funding every federal agency each year

The Federal Judiciary

The third branch: one Supreme Court, thirteen circuits, ninety-four districts, and judges who serve for life

The Senate Judiciary Committee

The committee that vets every federal judge and Supreme Court nominee and oversees the Justice Department

The Thirteen Federal Circuits

How the country is divided among the federal courts of appeals, and why the line on the map can decide a case

Browse by Subcategory

The House, the Senate, and the committee system through which the legislative branch writes law, controls spending, and checks the other two branches.

Legislative Branch Agencies

The CBO, GAO, CRS, Library of Congress and other support agencies that give Congress its own numbers, audits, and research.

The office of the President and the Executive Office of the President: the White House staff, OMB, the NSC, and the councils that run the executive branch from the top.

The Supreme Court, the courts of appeals, the district courts, and the specialized tribunals that make up the federal court system.

All Branches (A–Z) A–Z By date

A C D E F G H I J L M N O P S T U W

A

Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts

The agency that runs the business side of the federal judiciary, from its budget to its case-filing systems

The Appropriations Committees

The House and Senate committees that write the spending bills funding every federal agency each year

Architect of the Capitol

The agency, and the official who leads it, responsible for maintaining the Capitol and the buildings and grounds around it

The Armed Services Committees

The House and Senate committees that write the annual defense policy bill and oversee the Pentagon

Article I vs. Article III Courts

Why some federal judges serve for life and others for fixed terms, and which cases each kind may decide

C

The heads of the fifteen executive departments and other senior officials the President chooses to include

Camp David and Air Force One

The presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains and the aircraft that carry the President, both run by the military

The Capitol Complex

The Capitol building and the office buildings, tunnels, grounds, and support facilities around it where Congress works

Conference Committees

Temporary House-Senate panels that negotiate a single final version of a bill, once called the third house of Congress

Congressional Black Caucus

The caucus of Black members of Congress, founded in 1971 and now one of the largest blocs within House Democrats

The Congressional Budget Office

Congress's nonpartisan scorekeeper: the official estimates of what bills cost and where the budget is headed

Congressional Caucuses

The informal groups of members organized around a party, an ideology, an identity, a region, or an issue

Congressional Committees

Where Congress actually works: the standing committees and subcommittees that write bills, hold hearings, and oversee the government

Congressional Member Offices and Staff

How a representative's or senator's office is organized, funded, and staffed in Washington and back home

The Congressional Research Service

Congress's in-house think tank: confidential, nonpartisan research and legal analysis for members and committees

Council of Economic Advisers

The three-member White House council of economists that advises the President on economic policy

Council on Environmental Quality

The White House office that coordinates environmental policy and oversees how agencies carry out the National Environmental Policy Act

D

Domestic Policy Council

The White House body that coordinates domestic policy, from health care and education to immigration and criminal justice

E

The Executive Office of the President

The White House staff, OMB, the NSC, and the councils that let one person run the executive branch

F

Federal Judicial Center

The research and education agency of the federal courts

The Federal Judiciary

The third branch: one Supreme Court, thirteen circuits, ninety-four districts, and judges who serve for life

Federal Public Defenders

The system that provides lawyers to people charged with federal crimes who cannot afford one

Foreign Affairs and Foreign Relations Committees

The House and Senate committees that oversee diplomacy, foreign aid, and, in the Senate, treaties and ambassadors

Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court

The secret federal court that approves government surveillance for foreign intelligence purposes

G

The Government Accountability Office

Congress's auditor and investigator, often called the watchdog of the federal purse

Government Publishing Office

The legislative-branch agency that produces the official text of federal laws, regulations, and the Congressional Record, and prints U.S. passports

H

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

The House's main investigative committee, with authority to examine any matter across the federal government

House Freedom Caucus

An invitation-only bloc of conservative House Republicans that votes together to pressure party leadership

The House of Representatives

The lower chamber of Congress: 435 members, two-year terms, and the sole power to originate taxes and impeach

The House Rules Committee

The traffic cop of the House: the committee that decides which bills reach the floor, for how long, and with what amendments

The House Ways and Means Committee

The oldest committee in Congress and the starting point for every tax bill, plus Social Security, Medicare, and trade

I

The Intelligence Committees

The House and Senate committees that oversee the CIA and the rest of the intelligence community, largely in secret

J

Joint Committees

The four permanent committees made up of members of both the House and the Senate

Judicial Conference of the United States

The policymaking body of the federal courts, led by the Chief Justice

L

The Library of Congress

The largest library in the world, the research arm of Congress, and home of the U.S. Copyright Office

M

Medicare Payment Advisory Commission

The independent commission that advises Congress on how much Medicare should pay doctors, hospitals, and other providers

N

National Economic Council

The White House body that coordinates economic policy across the departments and advises the President on economic decisions

The National Security Council

The President's forum for foreign policy and defense decisions, and the staff that coordinates them

O

Office of Administration

The back-office agency that provides technology, finance, personnel, and facilities support to the Executive Office of the President

Office of Congressional Ethics

The independent, nonpartisan House office that reviews misconduct allegations against members and staff and refers cases to the Ethics Committee

Office of Congressional Workplace Rights

The office that applies federal workplace laws to Congress and handles complaints from legislative-branch employees

Office of Legislative Affairs

The White House office that lobbies Congress for the President's agenda and nominees

The Office of Management and Budget

The largest office in the White House orbit: it builds the President's budget, controls spending, and reviews every major regulation

Office of National Drug Control Policy

The White House office, led by the so-called drug czar, that sets national drug policy and coordinates the federal drug-control budget

Office of Presidential Personnel

The White House office that recruits, vets, and recommends people for the President's roughly four thousand political appointments

Office of Public Liaison

The White House office that builds relationships with interest groups, business, labor, and community organizations

Office of Science and Technology Policy

The White House office that advises the President on science and technology and coordinates federal research policy

Office of the National Cyber Director

The White House office that coordinates federal cybersecurity policy and strategy

Office of the United States Trade Representative

The White House office that negotiates trade agreements and enforces American trade rights abroad

The Office of the Vice President

The only office with a foot in two branches: president of the Senate and first in line for the presidency

P

The office that heads the executive branch, commands the armed forces, and sets the national agenda

Problem Solvers Caucus

A House caucus split evenly between Democrats and Republicans that tries to broker bipartisan deals

S

Select and Special Committees

Committees created for a particular purpose, often investigations, outside the regular standing committee system

The Senate Finance Committee

The Senate committee for taxes, trade, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, the largest jurisdiction over federal money

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

The Senate's chief oversight committee, with jurisdiction over DHS and federal government operations

The Senate Judiciary Committee

The committee that vets every federal judge and Supreme Court nominee and oversees the Justice Department

The Supreme Court of the United States

The highest court in the country: nine justices, life tenure, and the last word on the Constitution

T

The Thirteen Federal Circuits

How the country is divided among the federal courts of appeals, and why the line on the map can decide a case

U

U.S. Bankruptcy Courts

The specialized units of the district courts that handle every bankruptcy case in the country, from individual debtors to major corporations and cities

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces

The civilian court at the top of the military justice system, reviewing courts-martial from every service

U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit

The appeals court in Washington that reviews more federal agency actions than any other, often called the second most important court in the country

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

The thirteenth federal appeals court, defined by subject rather than geography, with nationwide jurisdiction over patents, trade, and claims against the government

U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims

The independent court that reviews decisions denying veterans' disability and other benefits

U.S. Court of Federal Claims

The court where people and companies sue the federal government for money, from contract disputes to takings and vaccine injuries

U.S. Court of International Trade

The national trial court in New York that hears disputes over tariffs, customs, and trade laws

The U.S. Courts of Appeals

Thirteen circuit courts that decide tens of thousands of appeals a year and, for most cases, have the final word

The U.S. District Courts

The ninety-four trial courts where federal cases begin, juries sit, and most disputes end

U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services

The officers of the federal courts who investigate defendants, write sentencing reports, and supervise people released into the community

U.S. Sentencing Commission

The independent agency in the judicial branch that writes the federal sentencing guidelines

The court where taxpayers can challenge an IRS deficiency before paying the disputed tax

United States Botanic Garden

A living plant museum at the foot of Capitol Hill, run by Congress through the Architect of the Capitol

United States Capitol Police

The federal police force that protects Congress, its members, and the Capitol complex

The United States Congress

The bicameral legislature that writes the laws, controls the money, and checks the other two branches

The United States Senate

The upper chamber: two senators per state, six-year terms, and the power to confirm, ratify, and try impeachments

W

White House Military Office

The office that runs the military support behind the presidency, from Air Force One and Marine One to secure communications and Camp David

The White House Office

The President's personal staff: the chief of staff, counsel, press secretary, speechwriters, and senior advisers