All articles starting with U
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United States Postal Inspection Service
United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), founded August 7, 1775 under William Goddard as Surveyor, is the oldest federal US law enforcement agency: the USPS's investigative arm enforcing over 200 federal statutes against mail theft, fraud, and narcotics.
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is an independent U.S. government agency delivering mail to nearly every American address, funded by postage rather than taxes.
United States Postmaster General
United States Postmaster General (PMG), CEO of the U.S. Postal Service, appointed and removed by the USPS Board of Governors under 39 U.S.C. §202(c), not by the President. 76th PMG is David Steiner (July 2025); the office dates to Benjamin Franklin in 1775.
United States presidential approval rating
A United States presidential approval rating measures the share of Americans who approve of the sitting president's job performance, with Gallup's series running since 1938 and peaks like George W. Bush's 90% after September 2001.
United States presidential debates
Televised general-election debates between US presidential candidates, begun with Kennedy–Nixon in 1960, run by the League of Women Voters then the CPD from 1988, bypassed by Biden and Trump in 2024.
United States presidential election
United States presidential election: the quadrennial process where voters choose 538 electors (270 needed to win) who elect the president; includes primaries, general election, December elector vote, January 6 count, and 2024 Trump-Harris result.
United States presidential election results by state, 1788–1820
The United States presidential election results by state, 1788–1820, cover the first nine elections, when most legislatures chose electors and popular votes survive for only some states.
United States presidential eligibility legislation
US presidential eligibility legislation covers Article II's qualifications (natural born citizen, age 35, 14-year residency), the 22nd Amendment term limit, 14th Amendment disqualification, and related statutes and court decisions governing who may run for president.
United States presidential inauguration
The United States presidential inauguration, also called Inauguration Day, is the quadrennial January 20 ceremony at the U.S. Capitol where the president-elect and vice president-elect take the constitutional oath of office, a tradition since George Washington's 1789 swearing-in.
United States presidential line of succession
United States presidential line of succession: the legal order, set by the Constitution, the 25th Amendment, and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, by which the vice president, Speaker, president pro tempore, and 15 cabinet officers assume presidential duties.
United States presidential nominating convention
United States presidential nominating conventions are quadrennial party meetings, dating to the 1831 Anti-Masonic and 1832 Democratic conventions, that nominate presidential and vice-presidential candidates, adopt platforms, and set rules via pledged and automatic delegates.
United States presidential pets
United States presidential pets: animals kept at the White House by presidents, mostly dogs (30 of 44 presidents), plus cats, cows, and exotic gifts; famous examples include Fala, Laddie Boy, Millie, Bo, and petless Trump.
United States presidential primary
The United States presidential primary is a state election in which voters choose delegates pledged to presidential candidates before the parties' nominating conventions. Types include open, closed, semi-closed, and caucus formats; Democratic superdelegates and Republican winner-take-all rules affect representation.
United States presidential transition
United States presidential transition: the transfer of executive power under the Presidential Transition Act of 1963, as amended in 1988, 2000, 2010, 2015, and 2022, with GSA providing funded services, MOUs, and ethics conditions to candidates.
United States prisoners of war during the Vietnam War
American POWs of the Vietnam War: mostly downed aircrew held 1964-1973, notably at Hỏa Lò (the 'Hanoi Hilton'), denied Geneva Convention status by North Vietnam, tortured, then released, 591 in Operation Homecoming in 1973.
United States Public Health Service
United States Public Health Service (USPHS), from the 1798 Marine Hospital Service; federal health agency under HHS led by the Surgeon General, with a uniformed Commissioned Corps of over 6,000 officers and agencies including CDC, NIH, and FDA.
United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, or USPHS Commissioned Corps, is a uniformed service of more than 6,000 public health professionals led by the U.S. Surgeon General.
United States recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel
US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, announced by President Trump on December 6, 2017 under the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act; embassy opened May 14, 2018; UN General Assembly declared it null and void 128-9; later administrations kept the policy.
United States Reports
United States Reports, abbreviated U.S., is the official bound series publishing the Supreme Court of the United States' decisions, with citations like 467 U.S. 837 (1984).
United States sanctions during the Venezuelan crisis
U.S. sanctions on Venezuela: targeted individual measures since 2005, financial sanctions from August 2017 (E.O. 13808), 2019 PdVSA blocking, Biden-era license relief, and post-January 2026 policy shifts.
United States Secret Service
United States Secret Service (USSS): federal agency created July 5, 1865 under Treasury to fight counterfeiting, moved to DHS in 2003, known for protecting the president since 1901.
United States Secretary of Agriculture
United States Secretary of Agriculture: head of the USDA, a Cabinet post created in 1889 when the 1862 department's Commissioner became Secretary; 33rd Secretary is Brooke L. Rollins (2025).
United States Secretary of Defense
United States Secretary of Defense (also Secretary of War since September 2025): civilian head of the Department of Defense created by the National Security Act of 1947, first held by James V. Forrestal, appointed from civilian life with a seven-to-ten-year military cooling-off bar.
United States Secretary of Energy
United States Secretary of Energy: cabinet head of the Department of Energy, also called DOE Secretary. Senate-confirmed, created by the 1977 Organization Act; first holder James R. Schlesinger; 17th and current Secretary Chris Wright.
United States Secretary of Health and Human Services
United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, head of HHS and Cabinet member; created as HEW Secretary in 1953, renamed HHS in 1980; current 26th Secretary is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (2025).
United States Secretary of Homeland Security
The United States Secretary of Homeland Security heads the DHS cabinet department, appointed by the President with Senate consent. Duties span immigration enforcement under 8 U.S.C. 1103, border and cyber security, and domestic incident management.
United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: head of HUD, the Cabinet-level federal housing agency created in 1965. First Secretary Robert C. Weaver (1966); 19th and current Secretary Scott Turner, confirmed February 5, 2025.
United States Secretary of Labor
The United States Secretary of Labor is a Cabinet officer who heads the Department of Labor and enforces federal laws on wages, workplace safety, and job training.
United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State: head of the Department of State, created July 27, 1789; first held by Thomas Jefferson; the President's principal foreign policy adviser and chief diplomat, currently Marco Rubio (2025), the first Latino in the role.
United States Secretary of the Air Force
United States Secretary of the Air Force (SecAF): civilian head of the Department of the Air Force, created by the National Security Act of 1947; first held by Stuart Symington (September 18, 1947), now Troy Meink, the 27th secretary.