The Executive Departments

Kelly Choi, Corey Brown, Claire Lawlor

Executive Departments

15 Units of federal administration Often called the Cabinet Departments Each department headed by a secretary

(Except for the Department of Justice) These department heads serve in the

President’s Cabinet

Department Principal Functions

State(1789)

Advises President on foreign policyNegotiates agreements with foreign countriesRepresents the Unites States in the global society

Treasury(1789)

Produces coins and billsCollects taxesBorrows money and manages public debtEnforces alcohol, tobacco, and firearms laws

Defense(1789)

Provides military forces to deter war and protect the nation’s security

Justice(1870)

Prosecutes those accused of violating federal lawProvides legal advice to the PresidentOperates federal prisonsEnforces federal lawsRepresents United States in court

Department Principal Functions

Health and Human Services(1953)

Funds health care research programsConducts programs to prevent and control diseasesEnforces pure food and drug lawsAdministers Medicare and Medicaid

Education(1979)

Administers federal aid to schoolsConducts educational research

Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Secretary Arne Duncan

Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta

Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr.

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner

The Cabinet

• An advisory group hand picked by the president to head the special executive departments

• Ex: Secretary of State, Secretary of Treasury, and Secretary of War

• The Vice President is often in attendance of cabinet meetings

Choosing Cabinet Members

President chooses a leader for each of the 15 executive departments

There have been 600 appointed leaders since 1789

Only 12 have been rejected The latest to be rejected was in 1989

(John Tower) who was selected by George H.W. Bush.

Characteristics in Choosing

Of course experience professional qualifications

Regional balanceEx: Secretary of Interior is often chose

from West Coast where most of the departments work is handled.

Secretary of Agriculture is mostly picked from the Midwest aka farm states.

Women & MinoritiesFranklin Roosevelt appointed first female

(Frances T. Perkins) 1933 to 1945Lyndon Johnson appointed first African

American (Robert C. Weaver) 1966 to 1969

Ronald Reagan appointed the first Hispanic (Lauro F. Cavazos) 1988

Cabinet’s Role

Cabinet members have to main and basic roles: Administrate head of their specific department & together advise the presidents

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Questions 1. Which President appointed the first female

Cabinet member? 2. Which region is the Secretary of Agriculture

usually selected? 3. True/False The U.S. Secretary of State is

Hillary Clinton 4. Which of the following is false about the

Executive Departments?a) There are15 Units of federal administrationb) AKA the Cabinet Departmentsc) Every department headed by a secretaryd) Department heads serve in the President’s Cabinet

5. True/False Department of Treasury enforces alcohol, tobacco, and firearms laws