A Very Big Branch Name:

PrinceAli Leewani
We’ve Got a Job to Do

The Executive Branch

President
The job of the executive branch is to carry out the laws that
the legislative branch passes. When you think of the executive
branch, you probably think of the president. But the president is
only the head of the executive branch. He is like the tip of the Executive
iceberg: underneath, there is a giant organization with lots of Departments &
Agencies
people doing many different jobs. In fact, the executive branch
is the largest branch of our government!
Help from Many
Most of the executive branch is made up of departments and
independent agencies. Departments are the main organizations in the
executive branch. There are 15 departments. Each one focuses on a
e i e a i i a ed a i n an a i n de en e
ene g a de a en a a e agen ie a d e i
example, the Department of Justice (DOJ) operates our justice system
Vice President Kamala Harris and e en i e agen ie in ide e a e e ede a
ceremonially swearing in
A ne ene a e i ea n e iga i n and e g n e en Ad ini a i n
a and A e in e iga e e ain ind i e ie e A dea
with crime related to drugs and controlled substances.

The president appoints a secretary to lead each department. (But the head of the Department
i e i a ed e A ne ene a e e e e a ie d e an ead a de a en
They are the president’s cabinet—a group of people that give advice to help the president make
i an de i i n ia d e e a ine e e ii n a e Se e a e en e
the Secretary of Education, or the Secretary of Homeland Security are very important players in the
executive branch.

Independent agencies are government organizations that

Government Corporations a n e i i e e a e di e en
Some parts of the executive branch are departments because they aren’t directly controlled by the
businesses that the government owns, such
as AMTRAK, which operates passenger president or executive branch. These agencies are created
trains, and the Federal Deposit Insurance by Congress in order to address concerns not easily solved
Corporation (FDIC), which insures bank through legislation. They are often controlled by a board or
deposits in case a bank fails.
commission, and there are usually restrictions on how the
president appoints and removes the members.
Carrying Out Laws: Enforcement
What does it mean to “carry out” a law? That depends on the kind of law
that needs to be carried out. Some laws make things illegal and describe
consequences for those who do those things. Executive agencies enforce
the law when someone isn’t following it. There are several things an
agency can do to enforce a law:
• Educate the public about new laws The U.S. Marshals Service is the
• Monitor the public to make sure laws are being followed oldest federal law enforcement
• Catch individuals or organizations not following the law agency. Marshals provide court
security, hunt fugitives, and
• Take the offenders to court
offer witness protection.
• an e en e en ed e e agen a a e

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A Very Big Branch Name: Since
Ali Jawani
Carrying Out Laws: Regulations
Other laws are just instructions about something that must be done, such as installing new security
ed e a e na i n ai A a i e i i n in de e e a de ai a i d
be carried out. Instead, the law will authorize the executive branch to decide these details. The rules
the executive branch makes about how the law will be carried out are called regulations. Regulations
have power similar to laws. Some regulations make activity illegal, and others give instructions for
how something must be done.
Agencies Enforce and Regulate
CONGRESS PASSES CLEAN
AIR ACT Most departments and agencies both enforce laws and make
eg a i n e a e e n i n en a e i n
Agen A i an inde enden agen eg a i
EPA Actions protect the environment and human health. It carries out
a a ed ng e a e ean Ai A a i
Issues Enforces
regulations regulations
de igned i i ai i n e ean Ai A a i e
that limit if necessary e A e i i n i n an e
air pollution.
Educates in e ai d i e A i e eg a i n a a
about how Conducts exactly how much pollution vehicles, factories, and other
to follow inspections
regulations e an in e ai e A en en e
these regulations. Violating them can result in penalties.
Maintaining Order and Safety
We depend on many parts of the executive branch to keep us safe
and ee de e a e e e a en e and Se i
(DHS) is responsible for protecting the United States against all kinds
of threats. It includes agencies that deal with terrorism, natural
disasters, and border protection. It also includes the Secret Service,
whose agents protect the president and vice president and their
a i ie n ide e S e ede a e gen anage en Agen
A e nd na a di a e e e e ge e e e A Se e Se i e agen and g a d
need in an de a e a ad a a S a outside the White House.
nation’s coastlines to watch for threats and helps boats in distress.

The Department of Defense (DoD) is the biggest department. It

The DoD in de a e i i a de a en a eA a and
headquarters is Ai e a e a an e agen ie ge e a e a
at the Pentagon. of the Department of Defense work together to make sure our
armed forces are prepared to protect our nation’s security.

Busy, Busy
Re e e a e da da a i i in e e e i e an
involves ordinary people doing the work that needs to be done: an
agen nd an in e iga i n a die a i i a e in aining
exercises, or a worker monitors a nuclear reactor at an energy plant. The
executive branch needs people to answer phones, program computers,
e a e d ien i e ea e ai ai ane and ean
bathrooms. In fact, the federal government is the nation’s largest A S a Se i e e ee
employer, and most of those jobs are in the executive branch. works hard to deliver your mail.

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A Very Big Branch
A. Cabinet Departments.
A ne a ed
military homes money
SECRETARY OF STATE
Department of State
Manages our relationships with
foreign ___________________
countries
_______________ GENERAL
attorney
Department of Justice
Enforces laws and represents the
United States in
_______________ matters
legal
SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
Department of Commerce
trade
Supervises ________________
and promotes U.S. businesses
SECRETARY OF ENERGY
Department of Energy
Researches sources of
fuel
______________ and electricity
for the nation
SEC. OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Dep’t of Health & Human Services
Gives services for Americans’ health
and _________________
basic needs
B. Who Said That? Identify which secretary might give the following advice or information:
1. Sec. ofHousing Urban
2. Sec. of Transportation
3. Sec. of Homeland Security
4. Sec. of Treasury
5. Sec. of Interior
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Jawani
e e d an in
Name: Since
e i ing d
Ali ega i gani e
a i need ege ig a n ie a e
fuel public lands wages terrorists trade legal
The President’s Cabinet
Executive Branch Departments
SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
Department of the Treasury Department of Defense
Collects taxes, prints _________, Manages the ______________
money
deals with the nation’s finances
armed
forces and conducts wars overseas
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
Department of the Interior Department of Agriculture
Manages and protects the nation’s Works with ________________
farmers
________________________
Public lands and regulates farm products
SECRETARY OF LABOR SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
Department of Labor Department of Transportation
Helps workers get fair _________ Oversees __________________
wages highway
and working conditions safety and air, rail, and sea travel
SECRETARY OF EDUCATION SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Department of Education Department of Veterans Affairs
Gives money for K-12 schools and Provides services for people who
student ______________ loans
college
served in the ________________
military
SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY SEC. OF HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Department of Homeland Security Dep’t of Housing & Urban Development
Creates strong communities and
Protects against ____________
terrorists
affordable ________________
and other threats homes
: “We need to invest in more solar electricity.”
development
: “We saw a decrease in highway deaths this year.”
Agen in e e ed a e i ea i ning
: “It’s time to take the penny out of circulation.”
: “We need to combat bark beetles in the national forest.”
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A Very Big Branch Name:
fincedi Jawani
C. Whose Job Is It, Anyway? Identify the executive agency that would most likely execute each act:

The Veterans Protect Violent Crime

Educational America Control and Law
Assistance Enforcement Act
Act (2008)
Act (2007)
(1994)
n ea e ed a i na ene Provides the intelligence community Increased the number of police
military veterans who have served tools to gather important e nding i n and
since September 11, 2001. information about terrorists. crime prevention programs.

Agency:Dept
Agency Agency:Dept of
Agency Agency:Dept of Justice
Agency
of veteran Affairs Homeland
Security

American
No Child Helping
Recovery and
Left Behind Families Save
Reinvestment
Act (2001) Their Homes
Act (2009)
Act (2009)
Ensures that students in every public i e nd e i e ne a
school achieve important learning Prevents families from losing their support improving roads, bridges,
g a e e a ed ea e homes to foreclosure. and other public structures.

Agency:Dept
Agency Agency:Dept of Housing
Agency Agency:Dept of
Agency
of Education and Transportation
development

The Patient
Protection and Farm Security The Nuclear
Affordable Care
and Rural Waste Policy
Investment Act (1982)
Act (2010)
a e i ea ie A e i an e
Act (2002)
covered by health insurance and Created a national program for safe and
ide A e i an a e permanent disposal of radioactive waste.
get medical attention.

Agency: Dept
Agency Agency:Dept of
Agency Agency:EnviornmentalProtection
Agency
of Healthand Agriculture
Human services agency
D. Enforce and Regulate. The Department of Labor (DOL) works to protect public health and safety.
Decide if each item on the list is a DOL regulation (R) or enforcement activity (E).

Enforcement Regulation
¦ ¦ 1. Monitor workplaces to see if they are following safety and health standards.
¦ ¦ 2. Employers must use a certain method for calculating overtime pay.
¦ ¦ 3. Employers must record and report work-related fatalities, injuries, and illnesses.
¦ ¦ 4. Evaluate possible cancer-causing substances found in the workplace.
¦ ¦ 5. Employees can file a charge if they feel they’ve been discriminated against
¦ ¦ 6. Educate employers about how to follow the Fair Labor Standards Act.
¦ ¦ 7. Make sure agricultural workers are receiving fair treatment required by law.
¦ ¦ 8. Employers must post a notice explaining laws about the minimum wage.
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