The Executive Branch

 Powers of the Executive Branch are stated in Article II of the Constitution  Commander in Chief  Head of cabinet and executive dept.  Granting reprieves, pardons  Making treaties  Nominating ambassadors, consuls, Supreme Court Judges  Recommending Legislation to Congress  Reviewing legislation passed by Congress and returning those bills to which the president is opposed  Receiving ambassadors and other public ministers  These powers, however, are written in a broad language allowing flexibility so as “to take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed…”  Executive Power is given but not defined

Do you have what it takes to be President? According to the Constitution it doesn’t take much to be eligible…  You must:  Be a natural born US citizen  Be at least 35  Be a a resident of the US for at least 14 years

Monetary Compensation (yearly) Benefits (at no cost)Retirement Benefits (Yearly) $400,000 salaryMedical & Dental Coverage$148,400 pension $50,000 expense accountSecret Service Protection$96,000 office help allowance $100,000 travel allowanceOfficial Residence w/ household staffFree office space and mailing services Perks …

What Happens if the President dies in office??? Vice President Speaker of the House President Pro Tempore Cabinet Members in order of creation Starting with the Secretary of State John BoehnerPatrick LeahyJohn Kerry 25 th Amendment- gives Vice President Constitutional power to take over if president is unfit for office/sick/ dead… Presidential Succession Act of establishes line of succession

What does the Vice President do?  Presides over the senate, votes to break ties  Helps decided whether the president is disabled and acts as president if that happens  This role was strengthened with the 25 th amendment

The Cabinet Every new president chooses a staff to help carry out duties of the executive branch – There are 15 major executive departments – The Vice President is also included in the Cabinet They serve dual functions – Individually they each manage an executive department responsible for implementing policy in a major area – Collectively they serve as an advisory board The Vice President Dept. of State Dept. of the Treasury Dept. of Defense Dept. of Justice Dept. of the Interior Dept. of Agriculture Dept. of Commerce Dept. of Labor Dept. of Health & Human Services Dept. of Housing & Urban Development Dept. of Transportation Dept. of Energy Dept. of Education Dept. of Veteran Affairs Dept. of Homeland Security

The Executive Office Some examples: – National Security Staff – Office of Administration – Domestic Policy Council – Office of the First Lady Was created by Congress in 1939 to help administer federal programs during the Great Depression Two Components – Specialized agencies – White House Office Small group close advisors Has grown rapidly due to 3 reasons – Every president has added agencies or expanded existing ones – President wants experts who can advise them on complex issues – Huge federal programs require coordination of executive branch efforts

The Executive Office Key White House Aids – Chief & Deputy Chiefs of Staff – Legal Counsel – Press Secretary Roles: – Gather Information – Advise President – Insure presidential directives are carried out – Handle relations with media and issue public statements in the presidents name AgencyFunction The Office of Management & Budget Makes recommendations concerning agency budgets and legislative proposals in a process called central clearance The National Security Council Directed by the National Security Advisor, helps the president coordinate U.S. military and foreign policy without congressional oversight The Council of Economic Advisors Assess economic health, predicts future conditions, and assists in economic planning 3 Influential Agencies