1. The Executive Branch

2. The Office of the President
Head of the executive branch –responsible for carrying out the law
Sets goals for the nation
Develops policies

3. Creating the office Term Elected to a 4-year term
May be reelected once
Limited power
Cannot make laws
Congress must approve many decisions
May be removed from office

4. Qualifications and salary
At least 35 years old
Natural born citizen of the US
Must have lived in the US for at least 14 years
Salary is set by Congress

5. Roles of the President Chief Executive Ensure laws are carried out
Gives executive orders – rules and regulations government must follow
Appoints about 4,000 executive branch officials
Must be approved by Congress

6. Commander in Chief Leader of the armed forces
Sets military goals + approves military tactics
May deploy troops even if Congress hasn’t declared war
War Powers Resolution – troops may not remain for more than 60 days w/out Congress approval

7. Chief Diplomat
Makes foreign policy plans for our relationships w/other countries
May make treaties w/other countries
Must be approved by Senate
Appoints ambassadors – representatives to foreign governments
Makes executive agreements – agreements w/other countries that don’t need Senate approval

8. Legislative Leader Recommends policy in State of the Union Address
Helps set domestic policy –plans for dealing with national problems
Can veto Congressional legislation
Makes the budget
Can call a special session of Congress if Congress is not meeting

9. Roles created by tradition
Party Leader – supports party members running for office
Chief of State – performs ceremonial duties

10. Organization of the Executive Branch
Is a bureaucracy – an organization of government departments, agencies and offices
President appoints an administration to lead the 3 main parts of the executive branch

11. Executive Office of the President: Advises president on important matters
White House staff
Chief of staff, advisers, press secretaries, legal experts, speechwriters, etc
Hired by President w/out Senate approval

12. Special Advisory Groups
Vice President
Has no duties aside from presiding over Senate
President decides how active the VP’s role should be
Special Advisory Groups
Groups that help the president make domestic and foreign policy decisions
Include Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and National Security Council (NSC)

13. The Executive Departments
Are currently 15 different departments
Do work connected w/carrying out nation’s laws and running government programs

14. President appoints head of each executive department
Must be approved by the Senate
Department secretaries (leaders) and Attorney General form the core Cabinet – important group of policy advisors to the president

15. Independent Agencies Executive Agencies
Under direct control of the president – can choose or remove directors
Includes NASA and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

16. Regulatory Commissions
Each makes and carries out rules for certain business/economic activity
FCC, Consumer Public Safety Commission (CPSC)
Have long terms to be free from political bias

17. Civil Service System Government Corporations
Provide public services but try to make a profit
USPS, Amtrak
Civil Service System
Employees chosen on the basis of merit
Rocket engineers at NASA, mail carriers