Organization of the Executive Branch Departments, Secretaries, and Agencies

UEQ and LEQ UEQ: How powerful is the President with regard to the other branches of government? Where does the President’s power come from? LEQ: Who influences Presidential decision making?

Vocabulary Executive Departments Bureaucracy Administration Cabinet Independent Agencies Civil Service System

Think-Pair-Share Watch the two short clips below. Department of Energy: Energy Ant Department of Defense: New 21st Century Warfare Answer these questions individually. “Why do you think departments of the government are in the news often?” “How do these departments work toward helping citizens and the country?”

Executive Branch Executive Branch today contains over 3 million workers. Bureaucracy- organization of departments, agencies, and offices. Many workers are permanent Administration- team of officials picked by President to lead bureaucracy. Nearly 2,000 people Split into Office of President, Executive Departments, Independent Agencies.

What a Bureaucracy looks like…

Bureaucracy Alternative…

Office of the President People chosen by President to help him deal with foreign and national problems. Advise President on important matters. White House Staff Most trusted advisors (ex: speechwriters) Help President achieve goals Vice President

Vice President in Control??? Does the Vice President have any power over the President?

Vice President Quote… Most government officials stay away from running for Vice President or being asked because the Vice President is mostly invisible unless a President says otherwise. Notable Quotable: Daniel Webster (Vice President drop out) said: “I do not propose to be buried until I am dead.” What do you think he is trying to say about the Vice Presidency?

Special Advisory Groups Help President make more difficult decisions about international and national issues. Two very important groups: Office of Management and Budget- tell President how much his goals will cost. National Security Council- military advisers help President make military decisions.

Budget Office and Security Council

Executive Departments Largest part of Executive Branch Do most work carrying out laws and running government. Each department helps President carry out one or more of his jobs.

Executive Departments

Executive Departments Activity Notes on You, you will be using the laptops to research each of the fifteen executive departments that exist today. Using the mini-packet given to you, you will find information on each department. Information: Year Founded, Current Secretary, Obama’s Secretary To Be, Primary Job Google will be the best search engine, or use infoplease.com

Presidential Cabinet President picks the head of each executive department. Senate must approve each person. Cabinet- important group of advisors to the President. All members of the cabinet are called secretaries. Exception: head of Justice Department called Attorney General.

Current Cabinet

Future Cabinet???

Independent Agencies Virtually free from the government. 60 agencies that carry out duties of executive branch further. Ex: environmental rules, farm loans 3 Types: Executive Agencies: NASA and EPA Regulatory Commissions: FCC and FDA Government Corporations: USPS

NASA and FDA

Civil Service System System of government work, where workers are hired based on merit. (experience) Tests are given to workers, highest scoring workers are given the job. 1% of workers are actually picked by President in executive branch.

Exit Question Explain in a paragraph. “How do government departments, agencies, and executive branch workers help influence the President in everyday decision making? What kind of decisions do they help the President make?” Hand In: Worth 20 points