Other Federal Programs
Hundreds of smaller agencies and programs
Quick Facts
Combined Budget
~$500 Billion
Number of Agencies
400+
Federal departments & agencies
% of Federal Budget
~7%
Your Share
~11%
Of your income taxes
What's Included in "Other Programs"
This category includes hundreds of federal agencies and programs that don't fit into the major categories. Together they represent essential government functions that keep the country running.
Law Enforcement & Justice
- FBI - Federal law enforcement and intelligence
- DEA - Drug enforcement
- Federal Courts - Judicial system
- Federal Prisons - Bureau of Prisons operations
- U.S. Marshals - Federal law enforcement
Science & Research
- NASA - Space exploration and research (~$33B)
- NIH - Medical research (~$48B)
- NSF - Scientific research grants (~$11B)
- DOE Science - Energy research (~$8B)
- NOAA - Weather and climate research (~$6B)
International Affairs
- State Department - Diplomacy and embassies (~$35B)
- USAID - Foreign development assistance (~$30B)
- Peace Corps - International volunteer programs
- International Security - Non-military security assistance
Agriculture & Environment
- Farm Subsidies - Agricultural support programs (~$20B)
- EPA - Environmental protection (~$11B)
- National Parks - Park Service operations (~$4B)
- Forest Service - National forest management (~$7B)
- Fish & Wildlife - Conservation programs
Economic & Regulatory
- IRS - Tax collection and enforcement (~$14B)
- SEC - Financial market regulation
- FTC - Consumer protection
- Small Business Admin - Business loans and support
- Patent Office - Intellectual property
Other Essential Services
- CDC - Disease control and prevention (~$10B)
- FDA - Food and drug safety (~$7B)
- Border Patrol - Border security operations
- Coast Guard - Maritime security and rescue
- FEMA - Disaster response and relief
- TSA - Transportation security
- Secret Service - Protection and investigations
- Census Bureau - National statistics
Why These Programs Matter
While individually smaller than major programs like Social Security or Defense, these agencies collectively provide:
- Public Safety - Law enforcement, disaster response, and security
- Scientific Progress - Research that drives innovation and economic growth
- Consumer Protection - Safety standards for food, drugs, and products
- Economic Stability - Market regulation and business support
- Environmental Protection - Clean air, water, and preserved lands
- International Leadership - Diplomacy and development assistance
- Essential Infrastructure - Weather forecasting, statistics, patents
Budget Perspective
These "other" programs combined (~$500B) cost less than interest on the national debt ($949B) and represent about 7% of total federal spending. Many are essential for daily life - from weather forecasts to food safety inspections to patent protection. Eliminating all of them would only reduce the federal budget by about 7% while eliminating many core government functions.