Chapter 6 The Executive Branch

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Chapter 6The Executive Branch

• Section 1 The Presidency
• Section 2 Powers and Roles of the President
• Section 3 Executive Departments and the Cabinet
• Section 4 Independent Agencies and Regulatory
  Commissions

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OBJECTIVES
Section 1 The Presidency

• What are the qualifications and terms of office
  for the presidency?
• What are the duties and terms of office for the
  vice president?
• What is the order of presidential succession?

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Qualifications for the presidency
Section 1 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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Terms of office
Section 1 The Presidency

• 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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Duties and terms of office of the vice president
Section 1 The Presidency

• 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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The order of presidential succession
Section 1 The Presidency

• The vice president
• The Speaker of the House
• The president pro tempore of the Senate
• Members of the presidents cabinet in the order
  in which their departments were created

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OBJECTIVES
Section 2 Powers and Roles of the President

• How is the president involved in the legislative
  process?
• How does Congress limit the presidents powers as
  commander in chief?
• What are the presidents duties as foreign-policy
  leader and as chief of state?

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The President and the Legislative Process
Section 2 Powers and Roles of the President

• 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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Congress and the Commander in Chief
Section 2 Powers and Roles of the President

• Only Congress can declare war.
• The president has the power to send troops into
  foreign lands.
• 1973War Powers Act requires troops to be
  recalled within 60 days unless approved by
  Congress to stay longer

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Presidents duties as foreign-policy leader and
chief of state
Section 2 Powers and Roles of the President

• Appoints officials to represent the United States
  abroad
• Travels to foreign nations to meet with leaders
  and representatives of other countries
• Serves as the nations chief diplomat and assumes
  final responsibility for treaties
• Symbolizes the United States and its people
• Performs ceremonial duties

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OBJECTIVES
Section 3 Executive Departments and the Cabinet

• What is the Executive Office of the President,
  and what is its purpose?
• How are the heads of the executive departments
  and the members of the cabinet related?
• What are the 14 executive departments?

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The Executive Office of the President
Section 3 Executive Departments and the Cabinet

• Established in 1939 and reorganized by each
  president
• Contains agencies and offices that advise the
  president on current issues
• The White House Office keeps presidential
  schedule, writes speeches, and maintains
  relations with Congress, the press, and the
  public.

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The 14 executive departments work to improve life
for all Americans.
Section 3 Executive Departments and the Cabinet

• Department of State
• Department of Justice
• Department of Treasury
• Department Transportation
• Department of Labor
• Department of Energy
• Department of Commerce
• Department of Defense

• Department of the Interior
• Department of Health and Human Services
• Department of Education
• Department of Veterans Affairs
• Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Department of Agriculture

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OBJECTIVES
Section 4 Independent Agencies and Regulatory
Commissions

• What are independent agencies, and why are they
  separate from the executive departments?
• What is the purpose of regulatory commissions,
  and who runs them?
• What is the federal bureaucracy?

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Independent Agencies
Section 4 Independent Agencies and Regulatory
Commissions

• 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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Regulatory Commissions
Section 4 Independent Agencies and 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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Regulatory Commissions (continued)
Section 4 Independent Agencies and Regulatory
Commissions

• Examples
• Federal Election Commission
• Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Securities and Exchange Commission
• National Labor Relations Board

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The Federal Bureaucracy
Section 4 Independent Agencies and Regulatory
Commissions

• 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