CIVICS IN PRACTICE
HOLT
Chapter 6
The Executive Branch
Section 1:
Section 2:
Section 3:
Section 4:
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The Presidency
Powers and Roles of the President
Executive Departments and the Cabinet
Independent Agencies and Regulatory
Commissions
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Section 1: The Presidency
The Main Idea
The president and the vice president are required to
have certain qualifications.
Reading Focus
 What are the qualifications and terms of office for
the presidency?
 What are the duties of the vice president?
 What are the rules of succession for the presidency?
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Section 1: The Presidency
Qualifications for the presidency:
 Native-born U.S. citizen
 At least 35 years of age
 A resident of the United States for at least 14
years
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Section 1: The Presidency
Terms of office:
 Four-year term and may be elected to a
second term
 Salary of $400,000 per year plus $50,000
nontaxable allowance
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Section 1: The Presidency
Duties and terms of office of the vice
president:
 Takes over if the president dies, resigns, or is
removed from office
 Presides over the Senate
 Must meet the same constitutional qualifications
as the president
 Salary of $186,300 per year plus $10,000 taxable
allowance
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CIVICS IN PRACTICE
HOLT
Section 1: The Presidency
The order of presidential succession:
 The vice president
 The Speaker of the House
 The president pro tempore of the Senate
 Members of the president’s cabinet in the
order in which their departments were created
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SECTION 1
CIVICS IN PRACTICE
HOLT
Question: What are the term of office and the
duties of the vice president?
Vice President
Term of
Office
fouryears
four
years
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Duties
 preside over the Senate
 remain prepared to assume presidency
 help presidential candidate get elected
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CIVICS IN PRACTICE
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Section 2: Powers and Roles of the President
The Main Idea
The powers and roles of the U.S. president affect
not only the citizens of the United States but
also people throughout the world.
Reading Focus
 What are some of the leadership roles of the
president?
 What powers does the president have?
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Section 2: Powers and Roles of the President
The President and the Legislative
Process
 Recommends laws to Congress in speeches,
writing, or through State of the Union Address
 Sends Congress an economic message
 Influences legislation with veto power
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Section 2: Powers and Roles of the President
Congress and the Commander in Chief
 Only Congress can declare war.
 The president has the power to send troops
into foreign lands.
 1973—War Powers Act: requires troops to be
recalled within 60 days unless approved by
Congress to stay longer
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Section 2: Powers and Roles of the President
President’s duties as foreign-policy
leader and chief of state:
 Appoints officials to represent the United States abroad
 Travels to foreign nations to meet with leaders and
representatives of other countries
 Serves as the nation’s chief diplomat and assumes final
responsibility for treaties
 Symbolizes the United States and its people
 Performs ceremonial duties
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SECTION 2
CIVICS IN PRACTICE
HOLT
Question: What are the duties of the president
as foreign-policy leader and chief of state?
President’s Duties
asas
Foreign
Policy
Leader
and and
Chief
President’s
Duties
Foreign
Policy
Leader
of State
Chief of State
 secure friendly relations with foreign governments
 preserve the security of the United States
 appoint officials to represent the United States in
foreign countries
 meet with leaders of foreign countries
 travel abroad to meet with foreign leaders
 assume responsibility for treaties with foreign
countries
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CIVICS IN PRACTICE
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Section 3: Executive Departments and the Cabinet
The Main Idea
The executive branch of the U.S. government is divided
into several departments, each of which has certain
duties.
Reading Focus
 What is the Executive Office of the President, and
what is the cabinet?
 What are the purposes of the Department of State
and the Department of Defense?
 What are the other executive departments in the
federal government?
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Section 3: Executive Departments and the Cabinet
The Executive Office of the President
 Established in 1939 and reorganized by each
president
 Contains agencies and offices that advise the
president on current issues
 The White House Office keeps the presidential
schedule, writes speeches, and maintains
relations with Congress, the press, and the public.
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Section 3: Executive Departments and the Cabinet
The 15 executive departments work to
improve life for all Americans.
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Department of:
Agriculture (USDA)
Commerce (DOC)
Defense (DOD)
Education (ED)
Energy (DOE)
Health and Human Services (HHS)
Homeland Security (DHS)*
* newest executive department
 Housing and Urban
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Development (HUD)
Justice (DOJ)
Labor (DOL)
State (DOS)
Interior (DOI)
Treasury
Transportation (DOT)
Veterans Affairs (VA)
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SECTION 3
HOLT
Question: What are the fourteen department
secretaries included in the president’s cabinet?
Cabinet Members
Secretary of State
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Secretary of Treasury
Secretary of Housing and Urban
Attorney General
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Development
Secretary of the Interior
Secretary of Transportation
Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary of Energy
Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of Education
Secretary of Labor
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Secretary of Defense
Secretary of Homeland Security
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Section 4: Independent Agencies and Regulatory Commissions
The Main Idea
 The Independent Agencies and Regulatory
Commissions of the U.S. government perform
specialized duties.
Reading Focus
 What are some examples of independent agencies,
and what duties do they perform?
 What are regulatory commissions, and who runs
them?
 What makes up the federal bureaucracy?
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Section 4: Independent Agencies and Regulatory Commissions
Independent Agencies
 Perform specialized duties that do not fit into regular
departments
 Some serve all of the departments and some assist
the work of the entire government.
 Examples:
 U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
 Farm Credit Administration
 Small Business Administration
 National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Section 4: Independent Agencies and Regulatory Commissions
Regulatory Commissions
 Independent agencies make rules and bring
violators to court.
 Commission heads are appointed by the president
and approved by Congress to serve long terms.
 Commissions are independent in order to freely
do their jobs.
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Section 4: Independent Agencies and Regulatory Commissions
Regulatory Commissions (continued)
 Examples:
 Federal Election Commission
 Consumer Product Safety Commission
 Securities and Exchange Commission
 National Labor Relations Board
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Section 4: Independent Agencies and Regulatory Commissions
The Federal Bureaucracy
 Formed by the departments and agencies of
the executive branch
 Almost 3 million workers
 Operates under heavy rules and regulations
that create “red tape” but allow the executive
branch to function
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SECTION 4
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Question: What are some of the independent
agencies and regulatory commissions of the federal
government?
Independent Agencies
Commission on Civil Rights
Farm Credit Administration
Regulatory Commissions
Federal Election Commission
Consumer Product Safety Commission
Securities and Exchange Commission
National Labor Relations Board
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Small Business Administration
Office of Personnel Management
General Services Administration
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HOLT, RINEHART
AND
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CIVICS IN PRACTICE
HOLT
Chapter 6 Wrap-Up
1. What is the vice president’s role in the government?
2. What limitation did the Twenty-second Amendment
place on the terms of the presidency?
3. What is the purpose of the State of the Union Address?
4. How does the president participate in the legislative
process?
5. How does the Executive Office of the President serve
the president?
6. What other position do the executive department
heads hold?
7. Why are the independent agencies separate from the
executive departments?
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