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 - -Other Characteristics -

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??? -25 th 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 - ( 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