Presidential Advisors
and Executive Agencies
Section 3:Executive Departments and the
Cabinet
The Executive Office of the
President
Contains agencies and offices that advise the
president on current issues
Established in 1939 and reorganized by each
president
The White House Office keeps the
presidential schedule, writes speeches, and
maintains relations with Congress, the press,
and the public.
Organization of the Executive
Branch
Executive Office/White House Office
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People who work directly for the President (about
500)
10-12 of the President’s closest advisors
Chief of Staff is most powerful advisor
Organization of the Executive
Branch
Office of Management and Budget

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Prepares the federal budget
Oversees spending of hundreds of
government agencies
Director of OMB works closely with the
President
Organization of the Executive
Branch
National Security Council

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Helps the President direct US military and foreign
policy
Head is National Security Advisor
Organization of the Executive
Branch
Council of Economic Advisors
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
Helps the President carry out the role of the
economic leader
Gives the President advice about complex
economic matters (unemployment, inflation,
taxes, etc.)
The Cabinet
Cabinet

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Group of 15 presidential advisors that include the
heads (Secretaries) of top level executive
departments
Secretaries advise the President on issues related
to their department
They meet whenever the President calls them
together
Dept of Homeland Security is the newest cabinet
position (added in Nov 2002)
The Cabinet
Dept of State
Plans and carries out the nation’s foreign
policy
Hillary
Clinton
Dept of
Treasury
Collects, borrows, spends, and prints
money
Timothy
Giethner
Dept of
Defense
Manages the military
Robert
Gates
Dept of Justice
Responsible for all aspects of law
enforcement
Eric Holder
Dept of Interior
Manages and protects the nations public
lands and natural resources
Ken Salazar
The Cabinet
Dept of Agriculture
Assists farmers and consumers of
products
Tom Vilsack
Dept of Commerce
Supervises trade and promotes US
business
Gary Locke
Dept of Labor
Deals with working conditions and
wages
Hilda Solis
Dept of Health & Human
Services
Works for the well being & health of Kathleen
Americans
Sebelius
Dept of Housing & Urban
Development
Deals with special needs and
problems of cities
Shaun
Donovan
The Cabinet
Dept of Transportation
Manages nations highways,
railroads, airlines, & sea traffic
Ray LaHood
Dept of Energy
Directs overall energy plan
Steven Chu
Dept of Education
Provides advice and funding for
schools
Arne Duncan
Dept of Veteran’s Affairs
Directs services for armed force Eric Shenseki
veterans
Dept of Homeland
Security
Oversees America’s defenses
against terrorist attacks
Janet Napolitano
Federal Bureaucracy
Federal Bureaucracy- agencies and
employees of the executive branch
Carry out programs created by Congress
Administer day to day functions of the
Executive Branch
Regulate various activities (police, banks,
airlines, etc.)
Federal Bureaucracy cont
Independent Agencies- agencies of the
Executive Branch that are NOT part of the
cabinet
Executive Agencies


Independent and deal with certain specialized
areas within government
Ex. National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA)
Federal Bureaucracy cont
Government Corporations

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Private businesses owned and operated by the
government and not private people
Ex. Postal Service (USPS)
Regulatory Boards and Commissions
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Do no report to President, but instead to Congress
Protect the public by making and enforce rules for
industries or groups
Ex. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Government Workers
Political Appointees- top leadership
positions whom the President has chosen
because they have proven executive
ability (usually ends when the President
leaves office)
Civil Service Workers- permanent
employment, based on competitive tests
and merit

They work within the Civil Service System
Spoils System
Became very popular under Andrew Jackson
Government jobs went to people as a reward for
their political support
New President’s fired most workers and
replaced them with their own
Ex. Jackson put Martin Van Buren as Sec. of
State and then VP because he was Jackson’s
campaign manager and helped Jackson win the
election
Ex. Jackson made Roger Taney Supreme Court
Chief Justice because he helped Jackson
remove all of the money from the national bank
because Jackson opposed it
Merit System
Came about during Progressive Era with
the Pendleton Act
Known as Civil Service Reform Act of
1883
Now jobs within the Civil Service System
are awarded based on merit and
examinations
Sets standards for federal jobs