Order Code RL31472
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Departmental Organization, 1947-2003
Updated August 12, 2003
Sharon Gressle
Specialist in American National Government
Government and Finance Division
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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Departmental Organization,
1947-2003
Summary
Since the end of World War II, nine federal departments have been created in
the executive branch. The tables in this report provide selected information on the
organization of those departments.

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Contents
Table 1. Department Establishment, 1947-2003 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Table 2. Confirmation Rates on Department Secretaries for
Newly Organized Departments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Figure 1. Executive Branch Energy Reorganization, 1973-1977 . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

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Departmental Organization,
1947-2001
Congress, when considering proposals to establish a Department of Homeland
Security, studied the histories of other major federal agencies and departments as
possible templates for structures and administrative policies that worked and those
that required adjustment.
The tables that follow offer selected basic information common to all the
departments1 created since the end of World War II. For each, Table 1 provides a
citation to the enabling legislation, on-board staffing as it was established and as of
September 30, 2001, the budget for the first fiscal year, the estimated budget for
FY2003 and the FY2004 request, brief information on the authorities or
responsibilities moved to the department in the organic act from other federal
entities, and a statement on the new authorities or responsibilities added by the
organic act. Table 2, while also including the enabling citations, provides the name
of the first secretary, holdover status, nomination and confirmation dates, and the
time lapse between Senate receipt of the nomination and confirmation action.
Following the tables is an organizational flow chart presenting the history of
agency movement before and during the creation of the Department of Energy.
1In order of creation: Department of Defense; Department of Health, Education, and
Welfare; Department of Housing and Urban Development; Department of Transportation;
Department of Energy; Department Health and Human Services; Department of Education;
Department of Veterans Affairs, and Department of Homeland Security.

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CRS-2
Table 1. Department Establishment, 1947-2003
Authorities or responsibilities
Enabling
Budget
moved to the department
Legislation
On-Board
(2003 estimate;
in the organic act
New authorities or responsibilities
Department
and Date
Staffing f
2004 request)
from other federal entities
added by the organic act
Defense
National Security
1947
FY1950
Single cabinet-level Dept. of Defense
Independent U.S. Air Force/Dept. of
Act of 1947
(June 30)
$16.5 billion
(DOD) established; previous cabinet-
the Air Force established out of the
(10 U.S.C. 111)
Military -
level Departments of War (renamed
U.S. Army Air Forces; new Central
(61 Stat. 495)
1,582,999
FY2003
Dept. of the Army) and Navy became
Intelligence Agency authorized.
July 26, 1947a
Civilian -
$364.0 billion
subordinate to DOD.
836,085
FY2004
2003
$379.6 billion
Military -
1,453,485
Civilian -
664,446
Health,
Reorganization Plan
1953
FY1954
Converted from Federal Security
Nothing new added to the department
Education, and
No. 1 (5 U.S.C. app.)
36,320
$1.9 billion
Agency. The name was changed, the
by transfer from other parts of
Welfare
April 11, 1953
Secretary automatically became a
government.
Cabinet member, and the President was
Reformed as the
authorized to appoint the undersecretary,
Department of
three new assistant secretaries, and a
Health and Human
general counsel, all subject to Senate
Services in 1979
confirmation.b
Housing and
Housing and Urban
1966
FY1967
The HUD Secretary was given all the
The Secretary was instructed to advise
Urban
Development Act
14,094
$3.1 billion
powers, functions, and duties of the
the President with respect to federal
Development
P.L. 89-174
Housing and Home Finance Agency and
programs and activities relating to
(79 Stat. 667)
2003
FY2003
its components, which consisted of an
housing and urban development. He
Sept. 9, 1965
10,643
$34.5 billion
Office of the Administrator, the Federal
was to develop and recommend urban
(42 U.S.C. 3532-
Housing Administration, the Public
policies; provide assistance to local
3537)
Housing Administration, the Federal
areas concerning community and

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CRS-3
Authorities or responsibilities
Enabling
Budget
moved to the department
Legislation
On-Board
(2003 estimate;
in the organic act
New authorities or responsibilities
Department
and Date
Staffing f
2004 request)
from other federal entities
added by the organic act
HUD
Although the
FY2004
National Mortgage Association, the
metropolitan development problems;
(continued)
legislation was
$35.0 billion
Community Facilities Administration,
consult and cooperate with states;
signed Sept. 9, HUD
and the Urban Renewal Administration.c
hold public hearings; encourage
did not officially
comprehensive state and local
become a department
planning; encourage private
until midnight on
enterprise; and conduct continuing
Nov. 8, 1965.
comprehensive studies.
Transportation
Department of
1967
FY1968
Agencies initially included:
The Office of the Secretary of
Transportation Act
58,882
$6.1 billion
– U.S. Coast Guard from Dept. of
Transportation was charged with
(49 U.S.C. 102)
Treasury.
developing and implementing
(96 Stat. 2414)
2003
FY2003
– Federal Aviation Administration from
national transportation policy. The
October 15, 1966
58,819
$53.6 billion
independent Federal Aviation Agency.
National Transportation Safety Board
– Federal Highway Administration;
was created as an independent agency
FY2004
highway programs from Bureau of
by the DOT Act. It assumed the
$54.2 billion
Public Roads, traffic (automotive) safety accident investigation powers
programs from National Traffic Safety
formerly located in the Bureau of
Agency, highway safety programs from
Aviation Safety of the Civil
National Highway Safety Agency, all
Aeronautics Board.
from Dept. of Commerce; and motor
carrier safety programs from Interstate
Commerce Commission.
– Federal Railroad Administration;
Alaska Railroad from Dept. of Interior;
rail safety activities from the Bureau of
Railroad Safety and Service in the
Interstate Commerce Commission; and
Office of High Speed Ground
Transportation from Dept. of
Commerce.

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CRS-4
Authorities or responsibilities
Enabling
Budget
moved to the department
Legislation
On-Board
(2003 estimate;
in the organic act
New authorities or responsibilities
Department
and Date
Staffing f
2004 request)
from other federal entities
added by the organic act
Transportation
Later additions from other depts.:
(continued)
– Urban Mass Transportation
Administration (now the Federal Transit
Administration) from Dept. of Housing
and Urban Development in 1968. The
DOT Act required that the Secretary of
Transportation and the Secretary of
HUD make a recommendation as to
where transit should be located
administratively. A recommendation
was made and enacted in the following
year.
– Maritime Administration transferred
from the Dept. of Commerce by the
Maritime Act of 1981.
Energy
Energy Organization
1977
FY1978
Movement of agencies and functions in
—
Act
19,647
$10.467 billion
the new Department of Energy reflected
(42 U.S.C. 7131)
(Oct. 1)
actions taken through the Federal
(91 Stat. 565)
FY2003
Energy Administration Act of 1974
August 4, 1977
2003
$20.0 billion
(P.L. 93-275), the Energy
15,789
Reorganization Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-
FY2004
438), and departmental enabling
$21.2 billion
legislation: research and waste activities
of the Atomic Energy Commission to
Energy Research and Development
Administration (ERDA) in 1974 and
ERDA to DOE in 1977; Cost of Living
Council (Energy Division); Dept. of
Commerce (Industrial Energy
Conservation Program); Dept. of

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CRS-5
Authorities or responsibilities
Enabling
Budget
moved to the department
Legislation
On-Board
(2003 estimate;
in the organic act
New authorities or responsibilities
Department
and Date
Staffing f
2004 request)
from other federal entities
added by the organic act
Energy
Defense (Division of Military
(continued)
Applications, Division of Naval
Reactors, Naval Petroleum Reserves);
Dept. of the Interior (Bureau of Mines
— fossil fuel research, Office of Coal
Research, Office of Energy
Conservation, Office of Energy Data
and Analysis, Office of Oil and Gas,
Office of Petroleum Allocation, Power
Marketing Administrations);
Environmental Protection Agency
(electric and alternative vehicle R&D);
Energy Policy Office; Federal Energy
Administration, later the Federal Energy
Office; Federal Power Commission;
Department of Housing and Urban
Development (energy conservation
standards for new buildings); Interstate
Commerce Commission (oil pipeline
regulation); and National Science
Foundation (geothermal solar heating
research).
Health and
Department of
1980
FY1981
When the Department of Education was
—
Human Services
Education
155,662
$80.788 billion
created, the remaining portion of the
Organization Act
Department of Health, Education, and
(20 U.S.C. 3508)
2003
FY2003
Welfare was redesignated as the
(93 Stat. 695)
67,091
$507.8 billion
Department of Health and Human
October 17, 1979
Services. (Sec. 509 of the Act)
FY2004
$537.7 billion

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CRS-6
Authorities or responsibilities
Enabling
Budget
moved to the department
Legislation
On-Board
(2003 estimate;
in the organic act
New authorities or responsibilities
Department
and Date
Staffing f
2004 request)
from other federal entities
added by the organic act
Education
Department of
1980d
FY1981
– Elementary and Secondary Education
No significant new authorities or
Education
7,364
$14.725 billion
– Postsecondary Education
responsibilities.
Organization Act
– Vocational and Adult Education
(20 U.S.C. 3411)
2003
FY2003
– Special Education and Rehabilitative
(93 Stat. 671)
4,592
$60.5 billion
Services
October 17, 1979
– Educational Research and
FY2004
Improvement
$61.4 billion
– Bilingual Education and Minority
Languages Affairs
– Office for Civil Rights
Veterans
Veterans Affairs Act
1989
FY1990
All functions of the Veterans
Added 40 full- time inspectors
Affairs
(38 U.S.C. 201)
245,992
$29.2 billion
Administration were transferred to the
general to existing IGs. Made
(102 Stat. 2635)
department.
Secretary and 11 top positions
March 15, 1989
2003
FY2003
presidential appointments subject to
225,159
$57.6 billion
Senate confirmation, vs. previous
situation of Administrator, Deputy
FY2004
Administrator, and IG being only
$61.4 billion
presidential appointments subject to
Senate confirmation.e
Homeland
Homeland Security
2003
FY2003
Twenty-two agencies or programs were
The overarching responsibilities of
Security
Act of 2002
151,813
$25.3 billion
transferred from the Department of the
the department are to prevent terrorist
(6 U.S.C. 101, note)
Treasury, the Department of
attacks within the United States and to
(116 Stat. 2135)
FY2004
Transportation, the Department of
reduce the vulnerability of the United
Nov. 25, 2002
$28.0 billion
Justice, the Department of Health and
States to terrorist activities. The
Human Services, the Department of
Secretary is charged with those
Agriculture, the Department of Energy,
responsibilities on both the federal
the Department of Defense, the
and federal-state-locality coordinative
Department of State, and the Federal
platforms. g
Emergency Management Agency.

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CRS-7
Note: Contributors to Table 1: Robert Goldich (Defense, 7-....), Susan Watkins Greenfield (Health, Education, and Welfare and Health and Human Services,
7-....), Jim Riehl
(Housing and Urban Development, 7-....), John Fischer (Transportation, 7-....), Carl Behrens (Energy, 7-....), Paul Irwin (Education, 7-....), G
ary Reynolds (Veterans’
Affairs, 7-....), and Sharon Gressle (Homeland Security, 7-....).
a The National Security Act Amendments of 1949 (63 Stat. 578; August 10, 1949) redesignated the National Military Establishment as the Department of Defense and established it
as an executive department.
b For further information, see The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, by Rufus E. Miles Jr. (New York: Praeger, 1974).
c Congressional Quarterly, Inc., 1965, CQ Almanac, p. 382. Additional detail concerning the function of each of these agencies may be found in the 1965 CQ Almanac, p. 365.
d Department of Education full-time equivalents: 1980 — 7,700; and 2001 — 4,710. Full-time equivalent equals total number of hours worked in a 12-month period divided by 2080
(hours in a work year). This calculation captures all the time worked in a year, not the number of people employed at any given time.
e Archived CRS Report 87-919, Proposals in the 100th Congress to Make the Veterans Administration a Cabinet-Level Department: Background Information and Analysis of Issues,
by Anne C. Stewart (not available), and 1988 CQ Almanac.
f Staffing levels are provided for the end of the first fiscal year of operation and for the most current data available from the Department of Defense (uniformed military personnel)
and the Office of Personnel Management (civilian), March 2003.
g For further information on the Department of Homeland Security, see CRS Report RL31493, Homeland Security: Department Organization and Management–Legislative Phase,
by (name/ re dacted) and CRS Report RL31751, Homeland Security: Department Organization and Management–Implementation Phase, by (name/ re dacted).

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CRS-8
Table 2. Confirmation Rates on Department Secretaries for Newly Organized Departments
Time Lapse
Holdover
Date
Date
from
Enabling Legislation
of
Received in
Confirmed by
Reception to
Department
and Date
Secretary
Appointee
Senate
Senate
Confirmation
Defense
National Security Act (Army-Navy
James V. Forrestal
No
07/26/47
07/26/47
0
Unification Act) (10 U.S.C. 113) (61 Stat.
495) of July 26,1947a
Health, Education,
Reorganization Plan No. 1
Oveta Culp Hobby
No
04/02/53
04/10/53b
8
and Welfare
(5 U.S.C. app.) (67 Stat. 631) of April 11,
1953
Housing and Urban
Housing and Urban Development Act (42
Robert C. Weaver
No
01/14/66
01/17/66
3
Development
U.S.C. 3532-3537) (79 Stat. 667) of
November 9, 1965
Transportation
Transportation Act
Alan Boyd
No
01/10/67
01/12/67
2
(49 U.S.C. 102) (96 Stat. 2414) of October
15, 1966
Energy
Energy Organization Act
James R.
No
08/04/77
08/05/77
1
(42 U.S.C. 7131) (91 Stat. 569) of August 4,
Schlesinger
1977, pursuant to E.O. 12009 of September
13, 1977c
Health and Human
Department of Education Organization Act
Patrica Roberts
Yes
07/20/79
08/03/79
14
Services
(20 U.S.C. 3508) (93 Stat. 695) of October
Harris
17, 1979
Education
Department of Education Organization Act
Shirley Mount
No
11/14/79
11/30/79
16
(20 U.S.C. 3411) (93 Stat. 671) of October
Hufstedler
17, 1979

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CRS-9
Time Lapse
Holdover
Date
Date
from
Enabling Legislation
of
Received in
Confirmed by
Reception to
Department
and Date
Secretary
Appointee
Senate
Senate
Confirmation
Veterans Affairs
Veterans Affairs Act (38 U.S.C. 201) (102
Edward J.
Yes
01/20/89
03/02/89
41
Stat. 2635) of March 15, 1989
Derwinskid
Homeland Security
Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C.
Thomas J. Ridge
No
01/07/03
01/22/03
15
101, note) (116 Stat. 2135) of Nov. 25, 2002
Average Time Lapse:
11
Source: Table 2 created by Mitchel Sollenberger, Congressional Research Service, June 19, 2002.
a The National Security Act Amendments of 1949 (63 Stat. 578; August 10, 1949) redesignated the National Military Establishment as the Department of Defense and established it
as an executive department.
b Appointment of Oveta Culp Hobby effective on April 11, 1953.
c Executive Order 12009 extends the effective date of the Energy Organization Act to October 1, 1977.
d Senate confirmed Edward J. Derwinski as both Secretary and Administrator of Veterans Affairs effective on March 2, 1989.

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CRS-10
Figure 1. Executive Branch Energy Reorganization, 1973-1977
Note: Source unknown.
Laws
P.L. 93-275: Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974
P.L. 93-438: Energy Reorganization Act of 1974
P.L. 95-91: Department of Energy Organization Act
Agencies
AEC: Atomic Energy Commission
CLC: Cost of Living Council (Energy Division)
DOC: Department of Commerce (Industrial Energy Conservation Program)
DOD: Department of Defense
DMA: Division of Military Applications
DNR: Division of Naval Reactors
NPR: Naval Petroleum Reserves
DOI: Department of the Interior
BOM: Bureau of Mines (fossil fuel research) (moved in 1977)
OCR: Office of Coal Research
OEC: Office of Energy Conservation
OEDA: Office of Energy Data and Analysis
OOG: Office of Oil and Gas (moved in 1977)
OPA: Office of Petroleum Allocation
PMA: Power Marketing Administration
EPA: Environmental Protection Agency (electric and alternative vehicle R& D)
EPO: Energy Policy Office
ERDA: Energy Research and Development Administration
FEA: Federal Energy Administration

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CRS-11
FEO: Federal Energy Office
FPC: Federal Power Commission
HUD: Department of Housing and Urban Development (energy conservation standards
for new buildings)
ICC: Interstate Commerce Commission (oil pipeline regulation)
NRC: Nuclear Regulatory Commission
NSF: National Science Foundation (geothermal solar heating research)

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