The Executive Branch

Executive Branch

-One of the three branches of government

-Duty is to carry out the laws of the Nation

-Executive Branch is the largest of the branches with millions of employees

President

-Considered the leader of the United States

-Often considered the most powerful person in the world

-Can not run the nation alone

Qualifications

-3 Requirements

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-Other Characteristics

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Presidential Terms

-elected through the electoral college system

-serve 4 year terms

-limited to serving two 4 year terms

-22 Amendment

Vice- President

-Main responsibility is to be ready to replace the President

-Official head of the Senate

-Is usually heavily involved in the policies pursued by the President

-Must meet same qualifications

Presidential Succession

-What happen if a President dies or is unable to do his job???

-25th Amendment

President

Vice-President

Speaker of the House

President Pro-Tempore

Secretary of State

President’s Job

-As the nation has grown so has the job of being President

-Examples:

Chief Executive

-Head of the Executive Branch

-Bureaucracy (all the people who work for the government)

-Duties

-Carry Our the Laws

-Issue Executive Orders

-Appoint Government Officials

Chief Diplomat

-Deals with Foreign Governments

-Duties

-Appoints Ambassadors w/ Senate Approval

-Make Treaties w/ Senate Approval

-Act as Mediator between Nations

Commander in Chief

-Leader of the Armed Forces

-Duties

-Command Our Troops

-Picks Military Leaders

Legislative Leader

-Tries to get laws passed that benefit the nation as well as his Party

-Economic leader in legislative role

-Uses Presidential Influence

-State of the Union Speech

-Uses the media

Party Leader

-Is the Visible leader of his political party and Pursues policies favorable to his party goals

-uses patronage system

the patronage system gives out gov’t positions to those people who gave support to the candidate and share their ideas

-gives endorsements in campaigns

Judicial Leader

-Head of the Law Enforcement System

-Power to appoint Federal and Supreme Court Judges with approval of the Senate

-Has certain Judicial powers:

immunity

pardons

reprieves

commutations

amnesty

Chief of State

-Is the symbolic leader of the nation

-Meets foreign leaders

-Make patriotic speeches and visits

-mostly symbolic gestures

Administration

-Administration

-General term applied to those people who work the closest to the President

-The Administration is in charge of the very large Federal Bureaucracy that works for the Office of the President

White House Staff

-White House Staff

Those people who work directly with the President in the White House Complex

-Chief of Staff

-Press Secretary

OMB

-Separate Office whose job is to prepare the Federal Budget

-Budget prepared according to the goals set forth by the President

-Budget must then be approved and/or changed by Congress

National Security Council

-Small Group whose job is to discuss and advise the President on issues of National Security

-Members usually include

President

Vice-President

Secretary of State

Secretary of Defense

Chief of Staff

Other Offices

-Economic Advisors

-Science and Technology

-Administration

-U.S. Trade Representatives

-Policy Development

Executive Departments

-These offices still complete only a small part of the executive branches work

-As of 2002 there are 15 separate departments and many independent agencies to complete the executive branches work

-All of these are also under the control of the President

Departments

-Part of the Executive Branch

-15 Different Departments who are responsible for different areas of government

-each department is led by a Secretary

-All Secretaries make up an advisory group known as the Cabinet

State Department

-(1789) Plans the nation’s foreign policy

-goals of the U.S. towards foreign nations

-Sets up Embassies in foreign nations

-embassies are our government’s representatives in foreign nations

-Sets up Consulates

-gov’t offices that are set up to help Americans in foreign nations

-Issues Visas to foreigners

-foreigner’s permission to visit the U.S.

-Issues Passports to citizens

-identification for U.S. citizens in foreign nations

Treasury Department

-(1789) Collects and Spends all the nations tax money

-IRS

-collects U.S. taxes

-Bureau of Mint, Printing and Engraving

-Bureau of Public Debt

borrows the money used by the government to operate deficits

-Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Agency

Defense Department

- (1947---formerly the Dept of War) Protects the Nation

-Three Branches

Army

Navy / Marines

Air Force

-Each branch is led by a civilian

-Joint Chiefs of Staff

Justice Department

-(1870) Represents the US in the Legal System

-Led by the Attorney General

-FBI

-investigated violations of Federal laws

-Bureau of Prisons

-ATF

-DEA

Interior Department

-(1849) Manages our nation’s lands and resources

-National Park Service

-manages millions of acres of national parks

-Fish and Wildlife Services

-Bureau of Indian Affairs

Department of Agriculture

-(1862) Helps farmers and consumers of agricultural products

-Food Safety and Inspection Service

-Food and Nutrition Service

-Agricultural Research

-Farmer’s Home Administration

-Soil Conservation

-Forest Service

Department of Commerce

-(1903) Promotes the economy and business interests of the nation

-Census Bureau

-Patent and Trademark Office

-Bureau of Standards

-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Weather Service

Department of Labor

-(1913) protects the interests of laborers and employers in the nation

-Occupational Health and Safety Administration

-Unemployment Insurance

-Bureau of Labor Statistics

Department of Health and Human Services

-(1953) works for the well being of the public

-Medicare and Medicaid

medical care for the elderly and the poor

-Public Health Service

Center for Disease Control

-Food and Drug Administration

Department of Housing and Urban Development

-(1965) Deals with the special problems faced in urban areas

-Mostly distributes federal funds to urban areas in order to:

-Rebuilding slums

-improve neighborhoods

-build low income housing

Department of Transportation

-(1966) Manages and oversees the nations transportation

-National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

-Federal Aviation Administration

-U.S. Coast Guard (moved to Homeland Security)

Department of Energy

-(1977) manages the nation’s energy resources and tries to promote wise usage of energy

-regulate energy related industries

-oversees nuclear power industry

Department of Education

-(1979) offers advise and assistance to states

-gives grants and funds projects designed to improve education

-No Child Left Behind Act

-federal regulations concerning the measurement of school performance

Department of Veteran’s Affairs

-(1988) manages the system of benefits for the veterans of our armed forces

-Veteran’s Hospitals

Department of Homeland Security

-(2003) purpose is to protect the security of America from threats

-Secret Service

-Coast Guard

-Immigration

-Customs

-Transportation Security Administration

-FEMA