Unit 5- Executive Branch

The Bureaucracy

A large, complex administrative structure that handles the everyday business of an organization.

Bureaucracy

15 Departments under control of the President that advises him, creates policy and enforces laws

Examples: Department of Defense, Department of Justice, and Department of State.

14 of the 15 are headed by a Secretary – which is a presidential appointment (ie. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton)

The Justice Department is headed by the Attorney General (Eric Holder)

Executive Departments

State Department – Handles all Foreign Policy Agencies: Consulates, Ambassadors, and your passport

Justice Department – Handles the enforcement of laws

Agencies: FBI, DEA, ATF, and US Marshalls Defense Department – Handles all issues

involving our military Agencies: Army, Navy, and Air Force (of the 4+million that work for the Exe Dept and their

agencies – 3 million are in the Dept of Defense alone)

Some of the Departments and some of their agencies….

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) – Dept of Labor – responsible for overseeing regulations and policies for the safety of workers

Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – Dept of Health and Human Services – responsible for overseeing regulations and policies for the safety of our food and drugs

Other Significant Agencies

The President’s Cabinet consists of the 14 Secretaries, the Attorney General and the Vice President

They advise the President on matters relating to their department

Cabinet level appointments require Senate confirmation

FYI - George Washington’s cabinet had 4 members

President’s Cabinet

Cabinet Room

Are part of the Executive Branch but outside of direct control of the President.

Directors are not considered to be Cabinet level

Important examples: US Post Office, CIA, and FEMA

Independent Agencies

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – responsible for space exploration and research

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – responsible for creating and enforcing regulating policies that protect us and our environment

Significant Examples

Independent of the three branches of government

President chooses and Senate approves the members to the board that governs. Members serve for a specified timeframe

Make regulations/policies for large businesses that affect the general public

Have the power to investigate if those regulations/polices have been violated and to punish those that do

Independent Regulatory Commissions

Federal Communications Commission (FEC) – regulates interstate and foreign communications by radio, tv, wire, satellite, and cable.

Federal Reserve System Board (the Fed) – Supervises banking system, practices; regulates money supply, use of credit in economy

Significant examples