Memorial Day is coming up: a day to remember, rest, and barbecue. It also unofficially marks the first weekend of summer, and gives the fashion-conscious permission to wear white again.

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As a national holiday, it also means that federal agencies are closed. According to a recent study, Americans will miss some of them way more than others.

A new Gallup poll measured how favorably Americans think of federal agencies, and the United States Postal Service ranked the highest.

Seventy-four percent of participants think it’s doing an “excellent” or “good” job. The USPS also ranked highly on a study of boomers’ favorite brands, so we hope it’s not too sorely missed among this Monday.

The Secret Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also earn high marks from the public.

Just behind the Postal Service, both the Secret Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also earn high marks from the public.

On the other, less favorable end of the spectrum is the Veterans Administration, polling only 39% approval.

Perhaps officials charged with running the VA can use a long weekend intended to honor fallen veterans to consider ways to improve the department’s image.

•May 21, 2019