The executive branch
The President heads the executive branch of the federal government. This branch consists of the Executive Office of the President, 14 executive departments, and about 80 independent agencies.
The Executive Office of the President consists of a number of agencies that work directly for the chief executive. One of them, the White House Office, includes the President’s physician, secretaries, and a number of close, influential aides known as presidential assistants.
The other Executive Office agencies also provide ideas and suggestions concerning many national and international issues. These agencies include the Council of Economic Advisers, Council on Environmental Quality, National Security Council, Office of Administration, Office of Management and Budget, Office of National Drug Control Policy, Office of Policy Development, Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Office of the United States Trade Representative. Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Executive Office in 1939.
The executive departments directly administer the federal government. They are the departments of:
- State
- Treasury
- Defense
- Justice
- Interior
- Agriculture
- Commerce
- Labor
- Health and Human Services
- Housing and Urban Development
- Transportation
- Energy
- Education
- Veterans Affairs
The heads of all but one of the executive departments are called secretaries. The head of the Justice Department is the attorney general. The department heads belong to the President’s Cabinet. The President nominates the department heads. All the appointments require approval of the Senate.
The independent agencies administer federal programs in many fields. These fields include aeronautics and space, banking, communications, farm credit, labor relations, nuclear energy, securities, small business, social security, and trade.
Independent agencies may issue rules, enforce penalties, and administer programs that have far-reaching effects on American life. Some independent agencies are known as regulatory agencies. Important regulatory agencies include the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The President picks the heads of nearly all the independent agencies. These people require the consent of the Senate.