A new Gallup poll shows the perceptions Americans have of some of the larger federal agencies.
The Highest Rated Agencies
Sitting atop the list of agency job performance ratings was the Postal Service with a 74% excellent/good rating. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The Secret Service rounded out the top three.
Among respondents identifying as Republicans, the three highest rated agencies are the CDC, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Secret Service. For Democrats, it was the Secret Service, NASA and Central Intelligence Agency.
The last Gallup poll on this subject was conducted in 2014, and Gallup notes that most federal agencies received significantly higher ratings three years later. However, the changes over this three year period are not as strong as the difference from 2013 to 2014, something Gallup likely attributes to the change in presidential administrations.
The Worst Rated Agencies
Agencies coming in last in the overall rankings are the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Veterans Administration (VA). Among Republicans, NASA, the Postal Service and FBI were at the bottom of the list, and Democrats rated Homeland Security, EPA, and IRS least favorably.
Gallup noted that overall, Americans were expressing higher levels of confidence in the economy which carried over into the survey results. The survey results published by Gallup contain further details about the ratings and survey methodology for those who wish to read further.