The Executive Branch
Organization
The Executive Branch
Organization
• The Executive Branch of Govt.:
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President of the U.S.
Vice President of the U.S.
EOP (Executive Office of the President)
Executive Departments: department heads
advice the President on policy issues and help
execute those policies
 Independent Agencies: help execute policy or
provide special services
Examples: FAA, FBI, CIA, EPA, etc…
The Executive Branch
Executive Departments
• The Constitution mentions nothing about a cabinet
or executive depts.
• President Washington asked for Congress to provide
federal funding for 3 executive depts. to assist in
carrying out his presidential duties:
 Department of State
 Department of Treasury
 Department of War
• Heads of the departments are called Secretaries
• Each secretary is a member of the President’s
Cabinet
Executive Departments
• Department of State (1789)
o Secretary Hillary Clinton
o Works with other countries; plans and carries
out the nation’s foreign policy; represents U.S. in
international organizations
Executive Departments
• Department of Treasury (1789)
o Secretary Timothy
Geithner
o Collects, borrows, spends, and prints money; enforces
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearm laws
Executive Departments
• Department of Defense (1789 and 1949)
{Combination of Dept. of War and Dept. of Navy)}
o Secretary Robert Gates
o Manages the armed forces and operates military bases
Executive Departments
• Department of Interior (1849)
o Secretary Ken
Salazar
o Manages federal lands, refuges, and parks; operates
hydroelectric facilities and manages Native American
affairs
Executive Departments
• Department of Justice (1870)
o Attorney General Eric Holder
o Provides legal advice to the president; enforces federal
laws; represents the U.S. in court; operates federal
prisons
Executive Departments
• Department of Agriculture (1889)
o Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack
o Provides agricultural assistance to farmers and
ranchers; inspects food and manages national forests
Executive Departments
• Department of Commerce (1903)
o Secretary Gary F. Locke
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Promotes business and job opportunities for all
Americans; responsible for all copyrights, patents, and
trademarks; and oversees matters related to oceans,
weather, and technology
Executive Departments
• Department of Labor (1913)
o Secretary Hilda L. Solis
o Enforces federal laws (child labor, minimum wage, safe
working conditions); administers unemployment and job
training programs
Executive Departments
• Department of Health and Human Services (1953)
o Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
o Administers Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid
programs; promotes health care research and enforces
pure food and drug laws
Executive Departments
• Department of Housing and Urban Development
(1965)
o Secretary Shaun L.S. Donovan
o AKA “HUD”
o Oversees housing needs, and focuses on improving and
developing communities
Executive Departments
• Department of Transportation (1967)
o Secretary Ray LaHood
o Oversees the nation's transportation system including
highways, railroads, ports, and air travel
Executive Departments
• Department of Energy (1977)
o Secretary Steven Chu
o Researches and develops energy systems that are
friendly to the environment, but are not too expensive
Executive Departments
• Department of Education (1979)
o Secretary Arne Duncan
o Establishes guidelines and provides leadership to
address American education. It helps local communities
meet the needs of their students
Executive Departments
• Department of Veteran’s Affairs (1989)
o Secretary Eric K. Shinseki
o Operates programs for veterans and their families
Executive Departments
• Department of Homeland Security (2002)
o Secretary Janet A. Napolitano
o Works to prevent terrorist attacks within the United
States, reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, and
minimize the damage from potential attacks and natural
disasters.
Executive Office of the President
(EOP)
Executive Office of the President (EOP)
• 1939: Created by Congress for FDR
• EOP provides advice and helps the president do his
job; is his immediate staff
• As of Nov. 2005, over 3,000 EOP staff members
make up 17 EOP offices under President Bush
• EOP offices can change with every president’s needs
and leadership styles
EOP
3 Most Important EOP Offices
1.) White House Office
– Core of the executive office
– Includes President’s personal staff members who help
with day to day management of the executive branch
– Includes Chief of Staff, Press Secretary, Speech Writers,
Clerical Staff, etc….
EOP
• White House Office, cont..
– Chief of Staff: most powerful person in the
White House Office
• Closest advisor to the President – he runs the White
House
• Decides which matters are important enough to be
brought to the President
EOP
EOP
• White House Office, cont…
– Press Secretary
 Provides reporters with news about the President
and actions of the President
 Also provides statements from the President to
reporters
 Gives a weekly news conference from the White
House
 Current Press White House Press Secretary
Robert Gibbs
EOP
2.) National Security Council
– Advises the President on matters of domestic and
foreign national security
– National Security Advisor (Head of Council) James
Jones
EOP
3.) Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
– Helps the President prepare the annual federal
budget
– Director is Peter R. Orszag
EOP
Current EOP Offices
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United States Office of Management and Budget
United States National Security Council
United States Trade Representative
Office of National Drug Control Policy
Council of Economic Advisers
Council on Environmental Quality
Domestic Policy Council
National Economic Council
Office of Administration
Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
Office of National AIDS Policy
Office of Science and Technology Policy
President's Critical Infrastructure Protection Board
President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board
USA Freedom Corps
White House Military Office
Independent Agencies
• Help execute public policy or provide special
services
• Well known examples:
 CIA – Central Intelligence Agency: Collects, correlates
and evaluates intelligence information relating to national
security and makes recommendations to the National
Security Council
 EPA – Environmental Protection Agency : Works with
state and federal government to control pollution in the air
and water
 FCC – Federal Communications Commission:
Regulates communications by radio, television, wire,
satellite and cable
 NASA – National Aeronautics and Space
Administration: Created in 1958 to run the space
program
 Peace Corps – founded in 1961; trains and places