Jonah Patel
The Executive Branch of the US federal government is led by the President and includes the Vice President, the Cabinet, and numerous federal agencies and departments. The President is the head of state and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, responsible for enforcing and implementing laws, conducting foreign policy, and overseeing national defence. The Vice President supports the President and assumes the Presidency if the President is unable to serve. The Cabinet, composed of appointed heads of executive departments, advises the President and helps execute federal laws and policies. The Executive Office of the President (EOP) includes offices and agencies that support the President's work, such as the White House Office, the National Security Council, and the Office of Management and Budget. The EOP is led by the White House Chief of Staff and consists of the President's immediate staff and close advisors.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Leader | President |
| Second-in-command | Vice President |
| Presidential support | Executive Office of the President (EOP) |
| Advisors | Cabinet |
| Departments | 15 executive departments |
| Federal agencies | CIA, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Reserve Board, Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Defense, Social Security Administration, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Transportation |
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![Executive branch reorganization an overview Committee on Governmental Affairs, United States Senate ; prepared by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress. 1978 [Leather Bound]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61IX47b4r9L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
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What You'll Learn
The President of the United States
The President is responsible for appointing the heads of federal agencies, including the Cabinet, and over 50 independent federal commissions, such as the Federal Reserve Board. They also appoint federal judges, ambassadors, and other federal officials. The President has the power to sign legislation into law or veto bills passed by Congress, although Congress can override a veto with a two-thirds majority in both houses.
The Executive Office of the President (EOP) consists of the President's immediate staff and entities such as the Office of Management and Budget and the Council of Economic Advisers. The EOP is considered a "permanent government," as many policy programs continue between presidential administrations. The civil servants in the EOP are nonpartisan and politically neutral, providing objective advice to the President.
The President is elected to a four-year term, along with the Vice President, who is also part of the Executive Branch and ready to assume the Presidency if needed. The Constitution lists three qualifications for the Presidency: the President must be 35 years of age, a natural-born citizen, and have lived in the United States for at least 14 years.
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The Vice President
As the second-in-command, the Vice President is prepared to step into the role of President if the President is unable to serve due to death, incapacity, or other circumstances. This has occurred nine times in US history, and on four occasions, former Vice Presidents have been elected President in their own right. The Vice President's primary role is to support the President, and their specific duties can vary depending on the administration.
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The Cabinet
The members of the Cabinet are in the line of succession to the Presidency after the Vice President, Speaker of the House, and Senate President pro tempore. All members of the Cabinet take the title of Secretary, except for the head of the Justice Department, who is the Attorney General.
Some notable members of the Cabinet include Kelly Loeffler, who served on the Senate committees for Agriculture, Joint Economic, HELP, and Veterans Affairs, and Linda McMahon, who served as Administrator of the Small Business Administration under President Donald Trump.
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Federal agencies and departments
The President of the United States is the head of the executive branch and is responsible for implementing and enforcing the laws written by Congress. The President has the power to appoint the heads of various federal agencies and departments, including the Cabinet. The Vice President is also part of the executive branch and is next in line to the Presidency.
The Cabinet is an advisory body made up of the heads of the 15 executive departments. The members of the Cabinet are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. They are often the President's closest confidants. The Cabinet includes the Vice President, heads of executive departments, and other high-ranking government officials. The heads of executive departments are included in the line of succession to the President, after the Vice President, the Speaker of the House, and the President pro tempore of the Senate.
The 15 executive departments include the Department of Defense, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Education, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Labor, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Veteran Affairs, and the Department of Homeland Security.
In addition to the executive departments, there are numerous independent federal agencies and commissions that fall under the executive branch. These include the Federal Reserve Board, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Social Security Administration, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Transportation Security Administration, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, among others.
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The Executive Office of the President (EOP)
The EOP is made up of several offices and agencies that support the President at the center of the executive branch of the US federal government. These include the White House Office (the staff working closest with the President, including West Wing staff), the National Security Council, Homeland Security Council, Office of Management and Budget, Council of Economic Advisers, and others. The White House Communications Office and Press Secretary’s Office are also considered part of the EOP. The EOP also includes the Office of the First Lady and the Office of the Vice President, which supports the Vice President's role as "second in command" of the Executive branch and as President of the Senate.
The EOP has grown significantly since its creation, with estimates indicating that 3,000 to 4,000 people serve in office staff positions with policymaking responsibilities and a budget of $300 to $400 million. The majority of the staff is housed in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, just a few steps away from the West Wing of the White House.
The senior staff within the EOP have the title Assistant to the President, while second-level staff are Deputy Assistant to the President, and third-level staff are Special Assistant to the President. Most EOP officials are appointed at the President's discretion, although there are a few exceptions, such as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, who requires Senate confirmation. The civil servants who work in the EOP are expected to be nonpartisan and politically neutral, providing objective and impartial advice to the President.
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Frequently asked questions
The President of the United States is the head of the Executive Branch.
The Vice President is also part of the Executive Branch, along with the Cabinet, and numerous federal agencies and departments.
The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, runs the federal government, and ensures the laws of the nation are carried out.
The Vice President supports the President and assumes the Presidency if the President is unable to serve.
The Cabinet is an advisory body made up of the heads of executive departments. They advise the President on various issues and help execute federal laws and policies.
