Chapters 15,16, & 17American Government

The Federal Bureaucracy The federal bureaucracy, part of the

executive branch, carries out most of the day-to-day work of the Federal Government

The Executive branch is composed of three groups of agencies:• The Executive Office of the President• The 15 Cabinet Departments• Many Independent Agencies

PRESIDENT

Executive Office of the President

Cabinet Departments

Independent AgenciesAgency/

AdministrationSingle

administrator:Near-Cabinet status

CommissionRegulates business

activities:Investigates or advises

Authority/Corporation

Board and manager;Business-like

activities

White House Office

Department of State

CIA

U.S. Postal Service

Securities & Exchange

Commission

The Executive Office of the PresidentThe Executive

Office of the President includes both advisors and agencies that work closely with the President

The Executive Office of the President is an umbrella agency, some of the units are shown here.

White House Office

Council of

Economic Advisors

Office of National

Drug Control Policy

Office of Manageme

nt and Budget

National Security Council

Executive DepartmentsExecutive

DepartmentHead of the Department

Description

Department of State Secretary of State Handle U.S. & Foreign Relations

Department of Treasury

Secretary of the Treasury

Produces U.S. Money, collects taxes &

manages the public debt

Department of Defense

Secretary of Defense Provides military forces and protect

U.S.

Department of Justice Attorney General Prosecutes those accused of violating

federal laws

Department of the Interior

Secretary of the Interior

Manages public lands, wildlife refuges, national parks,

hydroelectric power plants, & Native

Americans

Executive Departments

Department of Agriculture

Secretary of Agriculture

Manages national forests, inspects food,

helps farmers and ranchers

Department of Commerce

Secretary of Commerce

Conducts the census, grants patents &

registers trademarks, promotes trade

Department of Labor Secretary of Labor Enforces federal laws on minimum wages, maximum hours, and

safe working conditions

Department of Health & Human Services

Secretary of Health & Human Services

Funds health care programs and

enforces pure food and drug laws

Department of Housing & Urban

Development

Secretary of Housing & Urban Development

Operates home-financing and public housing programs

Executive DepartmentsDepartment of Transportation

Secretary of Transportation

Deals with highways, railroads, waterways,

air travel, mass transit, oil and gas

pipelines

Department of Energy Secretary of Energy Production of renewable energy,

fossil fuels and nuclear energy

Department of Education

Secretary of Education

Administers federal aid to schools and

conducts educational research

Department of Veterans Affairs

Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Administers benefits, pensions, and

medical programs for veterans of the armed

forces

Department of Homeland Security

Secretary of Homeland Security

Border and Transportation

security; emergency preparedness and

response

Independent Agencies A number of independent agencies

work outside the framework of the executive branch

There are three types of independent agencies that carry out specific duties

Independent AgenciesIndependent

Executive AgenciesIndependent Regulatory

Commissions

Government Corporations

•Organized like executive departments•Do not have Cabinet status

• Regulates parts of the economy• Are quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial•Exist outside of presidential control

• carry out business-like activities

Central Intelligence Agency

Environmental Protection AgencyFederal Emergency

Management Agency

Consumer Product Safety Commission

Federal Trade CommissionSecurities & Exchange

Commission

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

National Railroad Passenger

Corporation (Amtrak)U.S. Postal Service

TaxesThe Constitution gives Congress broad power to set federal taxes, which today are collected mostly

as income taxesProgressive Tax – the more you make, the more you payTax Return – forms filed showing how much money you owe the governmentPayroll Taxes – money withheld from paychecks to send to the government: Social Security & MedicareRegressive Taxes – rate is the same for everyone – Social Insurance taxesExcise Tax – luxury taxEstate Tax – paid on the assets of someone who diedGift Tax – tax on gifts over $11,000 in one yearCustom Duty – tax on goods brought into the U.S. from another country

Nontax Revenues and Borrowing

Income

Spending

The United States has a huge public debt, created by borrowing when government spending exceeded its income.

In a year when the government spends more than it takes in, it must borrow money to make up the deficit.

Spending & the Budget

The annual budget-making process is a joint effort of the President and both houses of Congress

The federal budget, the President’s yearly plan for conducting government, is a very important document

President, with help of Office of Management and Budget, creates

the budget

President sends the budget to Congress

Congress gives budget to Budget and Appropriations Committees in

each house

Congress approves final budget

Congress sends appropriations bills to the President to authorize

spending for the coming year

Creating the Federal Budget

Foreign Affairs and National Security

Both the State Department and the Defense Department assist the President in carrying out foreign policy

In the U.S., the President makes and carries out foreign policy with the help of key departments

President

STATE DEPARTMENTSecretary of

State

Ambassadors

DEFENSE DEPARTMENTSecretary of Defense

Joint Chiefs of Staff

Dept. Dept. Dept. of the of the of theNavy Army Air Force

Other Foreign & Defense AgenciesAGENCY FUNCTION

Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) • gathers, analyzes, and distributes intelligence information • conducts worldwide intelligence operations through espionage

Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS)

• enforces immigration laws and requirements•Administers immigration benefits such as political asylum

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

• oversees the U.S. space programs

Selective Service System • manages the draft

Several government agencies are closely involved with foreign and defense policy

Foreign & Defense Alliances

U.S. Foreign Policy

Participation in the United

Nations

Regional security alliances

Foreign Aid

MoneyMilitary

assistance