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Federal Government Internet Sites
(Note: Links checked February, 2010. URL's and site contents are subject to change without notice. List also includes selected non-federal sites.)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
AGRICULTURE
Economic Research Service. http://www.ers.usda.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture.
- Topics include: agricultural trade, research, and productivity; crops; biotechnology; farm income;food prices and safety; conservation; and more.
FAS Online - Foreign Agricultural Service. http://www.fas.usda.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture.
- Export and import statistics by country, market reports, trade policy, exporter assistance, commodity information, publications.
Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services. http://www.fns.usda.gov/fncs/
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture.
- Food stamp program, nutrition, school nutrition programs, statistics.
Natural Resources Conservation Service. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture.
- News, programs, technical resources, publications; soil, water, other natural resources, conservation on private land.
USDA Forest Service. http://www.fs.fed.us/
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture.
- Fire and aviation, maps and brochures, projects and policies, publications, recreational activities, and research.
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. http://www.usda.gov/
- Farm bills, marketing and trade, homeland security, food safety, natural resources and environment, rural and community development; news releases, educational resources, agricultural statistics.
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ARTS AND HUMANITIES
Library of Congress. http://www.lcweb.loc.gov/
Search the catalog, legislative information, online exhibition galleries, full-text of many special publications; American Memory historical collections, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped; links to the U. S. Copyright Office, section for kids and families, and digital collections from around the world.
National Endowment for the Arts. http://arts.endow.gov/
- Grant information, guide to the NEA, publications, resources, news.
National Endowment for the Humanities. http://www.neh.gov/
- Applying for a grant, NEH projects, news and publications.
Smithsonian Institution. http://www.si.edu/
- Smithsonian's museums, exhibitions, events, research centers and departments, Smithsonian Magazine, visitor information.
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BUSINESS
Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://stats.bls.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Labor.
- Statistics: inflation and consumer spending; wages, earnings and benefits; productivity; safety/health; occupations; demographics; employment/unemployment; industries; business costs; publications and research papers, state and local data.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). http://www.fdic.gov/
Deposit insurance, industry analysis, regulation and examinations, consumer protection and information, asset sales, news.
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. http://www.kc.frb.org/
10th Federal Reserve District, U. S. Federal Reserve Board of Governors.
- Information about the Federal Reserve System, economic research, financial services, banking information, consumer information, community development; publications. Nebraska is part of the 10th Federal Reserve District.
Internal Revenue Service. http://www.irs.gov/
U. S. Dept. of the Treasury.
- Forms and publications; tax statistics; information for individuals, businesses, charities, tax professionals.
International Trade Administration. http://www.ita.doc.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Commerce.
- Trade development and promotion, TradeStats Express (national trade and state export data; see "Trade Statistics"), Import Administration, Manufacturing and Services section, Market Access and Compliance sections.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration. http://www.osha.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Labor.
- News, compliance assistance, laws and regulations, state programs, safety/health; publications, statistics and data, standards.
Small Business Administration. http://www.sba.gov/
SBA offices and services by state (select "Local Resources", disaster assistance, information on starting and financing your business, SBA programs, online publications, business laws and regulations (select "Services".
U. S. Dept. of Commerce. http://www.commerce.gov/
Economic indicators, economic growth, free trade, international outreach; links to subagencies and state contacts; NOAA.
U. S. Dept. of Labor. http://www.dol.gov/
Information for workers and employers about wages, health plans and benefits; news; compliance assistance; programs and activities; statistics; research and publications; more.
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U. S. Dept. of the Treasury. http://www.ustreas.gov/
"Key Topics": Coins and currency, economy, fighting illicit finance, financial markets, international, taxes, more.
U. S. Patent and Trademark Office. http://www.uspto.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Commerce.
- Search patents issued since 1790; full-text available 1976 - ;order copies of patents; search trademarks; download forms, more.
U. S. Trade Representative. http://www.ustr.gov/
Executive Office of the President.
- Trade agreements, monitoring and enforcing trade policy, trade and development, trade data, World Trade Organization, world regions.
World Bank Group. http://www.worldbank.org/
News, development topics, countries and regions, publications, data and research.
CONGRESS
Congressional Bills - GPO Access. http://www.gpoaccess.gov/bills/index.html
U. S. Government Printing Office.
Full text of Congressional bills, 1993 - , (103rd Congress - ). Full text of laws, 1995 - (104th Congress - ).
Thomas: Legislative Information on the Internet. http://thomas.loc.gov/
Library of Congress.
Includes text of Congressional bills and the Congressional Record (1989 - ), committee information, Presidential nominations, historical documents, description of the legislative process.
U. S. House of Representatives. http://www.house.gov/
U. S. Congress.
- Access to U. S. Code, hearing schedules, information about members, committees, and organization of the House. Recent House floor actions, roll call votes. (See "Thomas", above, for bills and other publications)
U. S. Senate. http://www.senate.gov/
U. S. Congress.
Directory of Senators, Senate legislative activities, committee information, learn about the Senate and Senate history.
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CONSUMER INFORMATION
Federal Citizen Information Center. General Services Administration. http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/
- Consumer Information Catalog and full text of many publications in the catalog; subjects include cars, computers, education, money, food, employment, health, housing, more. Consumer Action Website, http://www.consumeraction.gov/: how to file a complaint, how to contact a federal agency, more.
Federal Trade Commission. http://www.ftc.gov/
Consumer protection section for businesses and consumers; debt collection, identity theft, Internet fraud and safety, antitrust and mergers, economics, legal resources, more. FTC enforces laws that prevent fraud, deception and unfair business practices.
Healthfinder. http://www.healthfinder.gov/
National Health Information Center, U. S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.
- "Health A - Z " library, health care, health news, links to organizations with reliable information.
U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. http://www.cpsc.gov/
Consumer safety, product recalls, publications, statistics (see "Library - FOIA").
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Federal Bureau of Investigation. http://www.fbi.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Justice.
- FBI's ten most-wanted list, crime statistics, kidnappings, missing persons, counterterrorism; reports and publications, more.
National Institute of Justice. http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/
U. S. Dept. of Justice.
- Under "Publications" information about child abuse, law enforcement, drugs and crime, courts, victims, corrections, crime prevention, international issues, more.
NCJRS - National Criminal Justice Reference Service. http://www.ncjrs.org/
U. S. Dept. of Justice.
- Online reports about courts, corrections, criminal justice statistics, drugs and crime, international topics, juvenile justice, law enforcement, and victims of crime.
U. S. Dept. of Homeland Security. http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/
Preparedness and response (disasters and emergency planning), travel security, immigration, prevention and protection, research; national threat advisory indicator.
U. S. Dept. of Justice. http://www.usdoj.gov/
Justice Department organizations, publications and documents, news, fugitives and missing persons, grant information, links to other federal sites.
U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration. http://www.dea.gov/
News, drug trafficking and abuse, law enforcement, drug policy, includes resources for professionals and the public.
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DEMOGRAPHY
Bureau of Labor Statistics. http://www.bls.gov/bls/demographics.htm
Demographic characteristics of the labor force, consumer spending, injuries and illnesses, geographic profiles.
National Center for Health Statistics. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Statistics about health and nutrition, health care, injuries, vital statistics (marriages, births, divorces), more.
U. S. Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Commerce.
Current survey and census data by geographic area; topics such as aging, housing, children, education, ethnic groups, income, population, poverty, much more.
EARTH SCIENCE and GEOGRAPHY
nationalatlas.gov - National Atlas. http://nationalatlas.gov/
U. S. Geological Survey.
- Page-sized maps of states and counties; customize maps, add layers of data (includes new surface waters layer), use interactive maps, find additional information. Map subjects: agriculture, biology, boundaries, climate, environment, geology, government, history, mapping, people, transportation, water.
U. S. Geological Survey. http://www.usgs.gov/
U. S. Dept. of the Interior.
- Resources for biology, geology, mapping, water, education, floods, earthquakes, minerals. Fact sheets, biological resources, bulletins, circulars, investigations, open file reports, water resources investigations, more.
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ECONOMY
Bureau of Economic Analysis. http://www.bea.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Commerce.
- National, regional, industry, and international economic data.
Joint Economic Committee. http://jec.senate.gov/
U. S. Senate.
- Current reports about the U. S. economy and economic issues; weekly economic digest, poverty, unemployment, income and wages, state employment, taxes, more.
U. S. Economy at a Glance. http://www.bls.gov/eag/
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Dept. of Labor.
- Statistics for states and major metropolitan areas: labor force, wages, employment; layoffs; historical data.
1994 - . Link to Occupational Outlook Handbook, Occupational Outlook Quarterly, Monthly Labor Review, Career Guide to Industries.
EDUCATION
National Center for Education Statistics. http://nces.ed.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Education.
- Elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education data; literacy, crime/safety, vocational education, educational finance, school district data, staffing, state education reforms, rural education.
students.gov - Student Gateway to the U. S. Government. http://www.students.gov/STUGOVWebApp/index.jsp
U. S. Dept. of Education.
- Education information from all federal agencies; links to sites about planning for college, financial aid, study abroad, career development, military service, health, moving, more.
U. S. Dept. of Education. http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtml
Research and statistics, education resources and reports, news, student financial aid, policies, grants and contracts.
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ELECTRONIC FEDERAL PUBLICATIONS
Browse Topics. http://www.gpoaccess.gov/topics/index.html
GPO Access in cooperation with Oklahoma State University.
Subject list of U. S. government sites.
New Electronic Titles, GPO Access. http://catalog.gpo.gov/F/?func=file&file_name=find-net&local_base= NEWTITLE
U.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice.
- Web-accessible federal publications of public interest or educational value; listed by month.
ENERGY
Energy Information Administration. http://www.eia.doe.gov/index.html
U. S. Dept. of Energy.
- Information about petroleum, natural gas, electricity, coal, nuclear, renewable and alternative fuels; international; forecasts, data, reports.
Office of Scientific and Technical Information. http://www.osti.gov/html/
U. S. Dept. of Energy.
- Research and development publications; links to search the deep web with Science Accelerator, Science.gov, and WorldWideScience.org. Science Lab for K - 12 students and teachers.
U. S. Dept. of Energy: energy.gov. http://www.energy.gov/
Energy sources, energy efficiency, environment, prices/trends, science and technology, health, safety and security. Sections for consumers, educators, researchers, children.
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ENVIRONMENT
FEDSTATS. "Agencies by Subject - Environment"
Key statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U. S. Geological Survey.
globalchange.gov/ - Gateway to Global Change Data and Information. http://www.globalchange.gov/
U. S. Global Change Research Program.
- Program coordinates and shares data between agencies. Includes Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Interior, State, Environmental Protection Agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science Foundation, others.
Learn the Issues. http://www.epa.gov/epahome/learn.htm
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.
- Links to information about water, air, climate, wastes and pollution, green living, human health, ecosystems, more. Under "Water - Your watershed" is "Surf Your Watershed" with real-time data and information state-by-state.
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.epa.gov/
Programs, EPA news, laws and regulations, publications, educational resources; air, global warming, lead, mold, wetlands, pesticides, water, pollutants/toxics, more.
FEDERAL STATISTICS
FEDSTATS. http://www.fedstats.gov/
Statistics from over 100 federal agencies. Search an A-Z index, by keyword, or across agency websites; links to statistical agencies, agencies by subject, statistics by geography. "Statistical Reference Shelf" links to the Statistical Abstract of the United States.
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FOREIGN POLICY AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
America.gov: Engaging the World. http://www.america.gov/
U. S. Dept. of State.
- Current information for international audiences: American life, global challenges, international relations, world regions; includes several publications.
Defense and International Relations. http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Defense.shtml
USA.Gov.
- Agencies, countries, defense reports and publications, foreign policy, international trade and travel, military, more
Policy Issues. http://www.state.gov/policy/
U. S. Dept. of State.
- Information about current issues; other sections include countries and regions, economics and energy, arms control, diplomacy and global affairs, more.
United Nations. http://www.un.org
In multiple languages. General information about the U. N., peace and security, economic and social development, human rights, humanitarian affairs, and international law.
U. S. Dept. of State. http://state.gov/
International topics, press and public affairs, countries and regions, Country Background Notes, history, youth and education, travel warnings, international business.
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FOREIGN COUNTRIES
Background Notes. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/
U. S. Dept. of State.
Information about individual countries: land, people, history, government, politics, economy, foreign relations. Average 10 - 20 pages each.
Country Commercial Guides. http://www.buyusainfo.net/adsearch.cfm?search_type=int&loadnav=no
By "Report type" select "Country Commercial Guides". "A comprehensive look at countries' commercial environments using economic, political, and market analysis."
Country Profiles. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles.html
Library of Congress
Brief current information about foreign nations: country’s historical background, geography, society, economy, transportation and telecommunications, government and politics, and national security. In the future, will include all countries in "Area Handbook" series plus additional countries "of interest".
Country Studies/Area Handbooks. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/cshome.html
Library of Congress and U. S. Dept. of Defense.
Full-text of 101 country and regional studies from Afghanistan to Zaire; each describes the country, its politics, economy, society, and more. In-depth information (average several hundred pages each).
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GENERAL
Fed World. http://www.fedworld.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Commerce, National Technical Information Service.
Access government research and development reports, science and technology resources and sites, search government web sites.
GPO Access. http://www.gpoaccess.gov/index.html
U. S. Government Printing Office.
Full text documents from the three branches of the federal government. Search by branch or topic.
USA.gov. http://www.usa.gov/
General Services Administration.
- Interagency portal to government information; sections for citizens, businesses, federal and state government employees, visitors to the U. S. Search by agency or subject; detailed site index.
HOUSING
Census Bureau Housing Topics. http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing.html
U. S. Bureau of the Census.
- Statistics about homeownership, housing affordability, housing patterns; historical tables.
HUD.gov. http://www.hud.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development.
- Information about buying/selling/renting, homeless, grants, HUD information state-by-state .
HUD USER: Policy Development and Research Information Service. http://www.huduser.org/
U. S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development.
- Publications and datasets about housing; under "Publications": affordable housing, community development, fair housing, housing market characteristics, urban planning, more.
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MEDICINE AND HEALTH
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.
- Statistics, publications, current topics; "Health and Safety Topics" cover diseases and conditions, injuries, healthy living, workplace safety, more.
Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.
- Food, drugs, medical devices, animals and veterinary, cosmetics, science and research, regulations and laws, recalls and safety alerts, product approvals; A-Z index.
Health and Nutrition - USA.gov. http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Health.shtml
General Services Administration.
- Caregiver resources; food, nutrition, fitness; health by population group; health insurance; news; topics A - Z; prescription drugs.
National Institutes of Health. http://www.nih.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.
- Health information, grants and funding opportunities, scientific resources, news and events, links to institutes and offices.
U. S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. http://www.os.dhhs.gov/
News; grants; "Families" - health, financial assistance, insurance, safety, statistics; "Prevention" - exercise, diet, healthy lifestyles; diseases; regulations; "Preparedness" - disasters and emergencies. Publications, statistics, reports, policies; subagency list under "About Us".
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PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
President of the United States. http://www.whitehouse.gov/
Briefings, issues, blog, recently signed legislation, information about the White House and the federal government. Links to Facebook, Twitter, etc.
SCIENCE
National Aeronautics and Space Administration. http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html?skipIntro= 1
News, missions, sections for the public, educators, students; solar system, moon and Mars, earth, universe. Image library, (Hubble Space Telescope image gallery pictures are very cool!), news, mission information.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). http://www.noaa.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Commerce.
- Environmental data and information, weather and climate, coastal issues, oceans, satellites, fisheries, coasts, research, National Weather Service, education resources.
National Science Foundation. http://www.nsf.gov/
Information on grants and awards, science statistics; topics such as biology, computer/information sciences, engineering, geosciences, math and physical sciences, social/behavioral sciences, more.
Science.gov: USA.gov for Science. http://www.science.gov/
General Services Administration.
- Gateway to authoritative scientific research and development information. Subject areas: agriculture, applied science, astronomy, biology, computers, earth science, energy, environment, health, math, natural resources, science education.
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. http://www.fws.gov/
U. S. Dept. of the Interior.
- Information on conservation, environmental contaminants, endangered species, wetlands, fisheries, habitat, hunting; news. Section for educators.
Water Resources of the United States. http://water.usgs.gov/
U. S. Geological Survey.
- Real-time water data, spatial data, water use, water quality, programs. Water information by state and by subject. Publications: circulars, digital data, fact sheets, hydrologic atlases, research reports. Section for Nebraska and another about the Platte River Program.
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TRANSPORTATION and AVIATION
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). http://www.faa.gov/
U. S. Dept. of Transportation.
- Airports and air traffic, licenses and certificates, regulations and policies, accident and incident data, safety, training resources, research.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov
U. S. Dept. of Transportation.
- Vehicle and equipment information, traffic safety/occupant issues, crash test results for cars 1991 - , vehicle recalls, consumer's complaint form, child seat information; studies, reports, more. See also Safercar.gov for vehicle crash/rollover tests and safety recalls.
U. S. Dept. of Transportation. http://www.dot.gov/
Links to subagencies and publications; news; under "Services": citizen services (aviation, cars, highways, regulations, grants), business services (doing business with DOT, motor carriers, policies), and government services (grants).
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Diana J. Keith
Associate Professor
Government Documents Librarian
Government Documents Department
Calvin T. Ryan Library
University of Nebraska at Kearney
Kearney, NE 68849-2240
Reviewed February, 2010
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