The Executive Branch
Steph and Charles
Executive Branch Jobs
- Vice President of the United States- Ranked under presidents and serves as president in his/her absence
- Members of the President's Cabinet- 15 people ranked under the president serving in the cabinet
- 15 Executive Departments- Includes 15 positions including the vice president, secretary of state, defense, labor, etc.
- National Security Council- Head of national security and foreign policy matters
- Office of Management and Budget- Largest office within the executive office of the president, main function is to produce president's budget
- White House Staff- 150 or so employees serving in white house and under president
- Press Secretary- Provides/gives advice to president and any officials regarding how to deal with news/media and acts as a spokesman
- Agencies within the Cabinet Departments- Secretary of state, treasury, defense, attorney general, secretary of the interior, agriculture, commerce, labor, health and human services,housing and urban development,transportation, and energy
- Independent Agencies- Agencies outside of federal executive department, head of cabinet secretary
- Regulatory Commissions- Enforce standards and safety, oversee public goods and regulate commerce. Few examples are Interstate Commerce commission and U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the United States, Ofcom in the United Kingdom, and the TRAI in India
Line of Presidential Succession
-Vice President
-Speaker of the House
-President Pro Tempore of the Senate
-Secretary of State
-Secretary of the Treasury
-Secretary of Defense
-Attorney General
-Secretary of the Interior
-Secretary of Agriculture
-Secretary of Commerce
-Secretary of Labor
-Secretary of Health and Human Services
Who are important people under the president?
Chief of staff- solve problems, mediate disputes, and deal with issues and act as a 'presentation board' for ideas
Press Secretary- Provides/gives advice to president and any officials regarding how to deal with news/media and acts as a spokesman
Federal Bureaucracy- Consists of around 500 departments, agencies, administrations, authorities, and commissions that carry out responsibilities assigned to them through legislation
Responsibilities of the Vice President
-Primary duties are to cast a vote if a deadlock occurs in the senate and to certify the official vote count of the Electoral College.
-During recent years the Vice President has been more involved in the policy making process
Who's in The Cabinet?
What Does The Cabinet Do?
They advise the President, they are closest and most trusted advisors. The Cabinet includes the Vice President, the heads of 15 executive branch departments, and other Government officials chosen by the President.
What is the purpose of the National Security Council and who is in it?
Since its creation under President Truman, the Council's function has been to advise and assist the President on national security and foreign policies. The Council also serves as the President's principal arm for coordinating these policies among various government agencies. The NSC is chaired by the President.
Structure of the United States National Security Council
Chair
President of the United States
Statutory Attendees
Vice President of the United States
Military Advisor
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Intelligence Advisor
Director of National Intelligence
Drug Policy Advisor
Director of National Drug Control Policy
Regular Attendees
Deputy National Security Advisor
Additional Participants
Secretary of Homeland Security
Assistant to the President for Economic Policy
Ambassador to the United Nations
What does the Office of Management and Budget Do?
What are the duties of the Chief of Staff, Press Secretary, and White House Staff members?
Chief of Staff- Solve problems, mediate disputes, and deal with issues before they are brought to the chief executive, acting as a sounding board for ideas
Press Secretary- Provides/gives advice to president and any officials regarding how to deal with news/media and acts as a spokesman
White House Staff- 150 or so employees serving in white house and under president
What is the Federal Bureaucracy?
Agencies within the Cabinet Departments
Secretaries of Agriculture: Regulate agricultural practices
Secretary of Commerce: provide American businesses and entrepreneurs with the tools they need to grow and hire.
Secretary of Defense: The Secretary of Defense's power over the United States military is second only to that of the President.
Secretary of Education: Regulates education
Secretary of Health and Human Services: they enhance and protect the health and well-being of all Americans. They do this by providing for effective health and human services and fostering advances in medicine, public health, and social services.
Homeland Security: Created after 9-11 and it’s main purpose is to protect US soils
Secretary of Labor: enforces and suggests laws involving unions, the workplace, and all other issues involving any form of business-person controversies.
Secretary of State: is the President's chief foreign affairs adviser.Independent Agencies
Central Intelligence Agency: The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an agency responsible for providing national security intelligence to senior US policymakers.
Commodity Futures Trading Commission: The CFTC assures the economic utility of the futures markets. They protect market participants against fraud, manipulation, and abusive trading practices
Consumer Product Safety Commission: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission protects the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction.
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board: The Board's mandate under the atomic Energy act is to provide safety oversight of the nuclear weapons complex operated by the Department of Energy.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): EPA leads the nation's environmental science, research, education and assessment efforts. Their main purpose is to protect human health and the environment
Export-Import Bank of the United States: The Export-Import Bank of the United States is the official export credit agency of the United States. Ex-Im Bank's purpose is to assist in financing the export of U.S. goods and services to other countries.
Regulatory Commissions
Food and Drug Administration (FDA): administers federal food purity laws, drug testing and safety, and cosmetics.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC): administers and enforces the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Federal Communications Commission (FCC): regulates interstate and foreign communication by radio, telephone, telegraph, and television
Council on Environmental Quality:National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) was made during the Nixon administration. The CEQ responsibilities are made by the Environmental Quality Improvement Act of 1970.