The?power?of?the?Executive?Branch?is?vested?in?the?President?of?the?United?States,?who?also?acts?as?head?of?state?and?Commander-in-Chief?of?the?armed?forces.?The?President?is?responsible?for?implementing?and?enforcing?the?laws?written?by?Congress?and,?to?that?end,?appoints?the?heads?of?the?federal?agencies,?including?the?Cabinet.?The?Vice?President?is?also?part?of?the?Executive?Branch,?ready?to?assume?the?Presidency?should?the?need?arise.

The?Cabinet?and?independent?federal?agencies?are?responsible?for?the?day-to-day?enforcement?and?administration?of?federal?laws.?These?departments?and?agencies?have?missions?and?responsibilities?as?widely?divergent?as?those?of?the?Department?of?Defense?and?the?Environmental?Protection?Agency,?the?Social?Security?Administration?and?the?Securities?and?Exchange?Commission.

Including?members?of?the?armed?forces,?the?Executive?Branch?employs?more?than?4?million?Americans.

The?President

The?President?is?both?the?head?of?state?and?head?of?government?of?the?United?States?of?America,?and?Commander-in-Chief?of?the?armed?forces.

Under?Article?II?of?the?Constitution,?the?President?is?responsible?for?the?execution?and?enforcement?of?the?laws?created?by?Congress.?Fifteen?executive?departments?—?each?led?by?an?appointed?member?of?the?President's?Cabinet?—?carry?out?the?day-to-day?administration?of?the?federal?government.?They?are?joined?in?this?by?other?executive?agencies?such?as?the?CIA?and?Environmental?Protection?Agency,?the?heads?of?which?are?not?part?of?the?Cabinet,?but?who?are?under?the?full?authority?of?the?President.?The?President?also?appoints?the?heads?of?more?than?50?independent?federal?commissions,?such?as?the?Federal?Reserve?Board?or?the?Securities?and?Exchange?Commission,?as?well?as?federal?judges,?ambassadors,?and?other?federal?offices.?The?Executive?Office?of?the?President?(EOP)?consists?of?the?immediate?staff?to?the?President,?along?with?entities?such?as?the?Office?of?Management?and?Budget?and?the?Office?of?the?United?States?Trade?Representative.

The?President?has?the?power?either?to?sign?legislation?into?law?or?to?veto?bills?enacted?by?Congress,?although?Congress?may?override?a?veto?with?a?two-thirds?vote?of?both?houses.?The?Executive?Branch?conducts?diplomacy?with?other?nations,?and?the?President?has?the?power?to?negotiate?and?sign?treaties,?which?also?must?be?ratified?by?two-thirds?of?the?Senate.?The?President?can?issue?executive?orders,?which?direct?executive?officers?or?clarify?and?further?existing?laws.?The?President?also?has?unlimited?power?to?extend?pardons?and?clemencies?for?federal?crimes,?except?in?cases?of?impeachment.

With?these?powers?come?several?responsibilities,?among?them?a?constitutional?requirement?to?"from?time?to?time?give?to?the?Congress?Information?of?the?State?of?the?Union,?and?recommend?to?their?Consideration?such?Measures?as?he?shall?judge?necessary?and?expedient."?Although?the?President?may?fulfill?this?requirement?in?any?way?he?or?she?chooses,?Presidents?have?traditionally?given?a?State?of?the?Union?address?to?a?joint?session?of?Congress?each?January?(except?in?inaugural?years)?outlining?their?agenda?for?the?coming?year.

The?primary?responsibility?of?the?Vice?President?of?the?United?States?is?to?be?ready?at?a?moment's?notice?to?assume?the?Presidency?if?the?President?is?unable?to?perform?his?duties.?This?can?be?because?of?the?President's?death,?resignation,?or?temporary?incapacitation,?or?if?the?Vice?President?and?a?majority?of?the?Cabinet?judge?that?the?President?is?no?longer?able?to?discharge?the?duties?of?the?presidency.

The?Vice?President?is?elected?along?with?the?President?by?the?Electoral?College?—?each?elector?casts?one?vote?for?President?and?another?for?Vice?President.?Before?the?ratification?of?the?12th?Amendment?in?1804,?electors?only?voted?for?President,?and?the?person?who?received?the?second?greatest?number?of?votes?became?Vice?President.

The?Vice?President?also?serves?as?the?President?of?the?United?States?Senate,?where?he?or?she?casts?the?deciding?vote?in?the?case?of?a?tie.?Except?in?the?case?of?tiebreaking?votes,?the?Vice?President?rarely?actually?presides?over?the?Senate.?Instead,?the?Senate?selects?one?of?their?own?members,?usually?junior?members?of?the?majority?party,?to?preside?over?the?Senate?each?day.

Joseph?R.?Biden?is?the?47th?Vice?President?of?the?United?States.?Of?the?45?previous?Vice?Presidents,?nine?have?succeeded?to?the?Presidency,?and?four?have?been?elected?to?the?Presidency?in?their?own?right.?The?duties?of?the?Vice?President,?outside?of?those?enumerated?in?the?Constitution,?are?at?the?discretion?of?the?current?President.?Each?Vice?President?approaches?the?role?differently?—?some?take?on?a?specific?policy?portfolio,?others?serve?simply?as?a?top?adviser?to?the?President.

The?Vice?President?has?an?office?in?the?West?Wing?of?the?White?House,?as?well?as?in?the?nearby?Eisenhower?Executive?Office?Building.?Like?the?President,?he?also?maintains?an?official?residence,?at?the?United?States?Naval?Observatory?in?Northwest?Washington,?D.C.?This?peaceful?mansion,?has?been?the?official?home?of?the?Vice?President?since?1974?—?previously,?Vice?Presidents?had?lived?in?their?own?private?residences.?The?Vice?President?also?has?his?own?limousine,?operated?by?the?United?States?Secret?Service,?and?flies?on?the?same?aircraft?the?President?uses?—?but?when?the?Vice?President?is?aboard,?the?craft?are?referred?to?as?Air?Force?Two?and?Marine?Two.

Every?day,?the?President?of?the?United?States?is?faced?with?scores?of?decisions,?each?with?important?consequences?for?America's?future.?To?provide?the?President?with?the?support?the?he?or?she?needs?to?govern?effectively,?the?Executive?Office?of?the?President?(EOP)?was?created?in?1939?by?President?Franklin?D.?Roosevelt.?The?EOP?has?responsibility?for?tasks?ranging?from?communicating?the?President's?message?to?the?American?people?to?promoting?our?trade?interests?abroad.

The?EOP,?overseen?by?the?White?House?Chief?of?Staff,?has?traditionally?been?home?to?many?of?the?President's?closest?advisers.?While?Senate?confirmation?is?required?for?some?advisers,?such?as?the?Director?of?the?Office?of?Management?and?Budget,?most?are?appointed?with?full?Presidential?discretion.?The?individual?offices?that?these?advisors?oversee?have?grown?in?size?and?number?since?the?EOP?was?created.?Some?were?formed?by?Congress,?others?as?the?President?has?needed?them?—?they?are?constantly?shifting?as?each?President?identifies?his?needs?and?priorities,?with?the?current?EOP?employing?over?1,800?people.

Perhaps?the?most?visible?parts?of?the?EOP?are?the?White?House?Communications?Office?and?Press?Secretary's?Office.?The?Press?Secretary?provides?daily?briefings?for?the?media?on?the?President's?activities?and?agenda.?Less?visible?to?most?Americans?is?the?National?Security?Council,?which?advises?the?President?on?foreign?policy,?intelligence,?and?national?security.

There?are?also?a?number?of?offices?responsible?for?the?practicalities?of?maintaining?the?White?House?and?providing?logistical?support?for?the?President.?These?include?the?White?House?Military?Office,?which?is?responsible?for?services?ranging?from?Air?Force?One?to?the?dining?facilities,?and?the?Office?of?Presidential?Advance,?which?prepares?sites?remote?from?the?White?House?for?the?President's?arrival.

Many?senior?advisors?in?the?EOP?work?near?the?President?in?the?West?Wing?of?the?White?House.?However,?the?majority?of?the?staff?is?housed?in?the?Eisenhower?Executive?Office?Building,?just?a?few?steps?away?and?part?of?the?White?House?compound.

The?Cabinet?is?an?advisory?body?made?up?of?the?heads?of?the?15?executive?departments.?Appointed?by?the?President?and?confirmed?by?the?Senate,?the?members?of?the?Cabinet?are?often?the?President's?closest?confidants.?In?addition?to?running?major?federal?agencies,?they?play?an?important?role?in?the?Presidential?line?of?succession?—?after?the?Vice?President,?Speaker?of?the?House,?and?Senate?President?pro?tempore,?the?line?of?succession?continues?with?the?Cabinet?offices?in?the?order?in?which?the?departments?were?created.?All?the?members?of?the?Cabinet?take?the?title?Secretary,?excepting?the?head?of?the?Justice?Department,?who?is?styled?Attorney?General.

The?U.S.?Department?of?Agriculture?(USDA)?develops?and?executes?policy?on?farming,?agriculture,?and?food.?Its?aims?include?meeting?the?needs?of?farmers?and?ranchers,?promoting?agricultural?trade?and?production,?assuring?food?safety,?protecting?natural?resources,?fostering?rural?communities,?and?ending?hunger?in?America?and?abroad.

The?USDA?employs?more?than?100,000?employees?and?has?an?annual?budget?of?approximately?$95?billion.?It?consists?of?17?agencies,?including?the?Animal?and?Plant?Health?Inspection?Service,?the?Food?and?Nutrition?Service,?and?the?Forest?Service.?The?bulk?of?the?department's?budget?goes?towards?mandatory?programs?that?provide?services?required?by?law,?such?as?programs?designed?to?provide?nutrition?assistance,?promote?agricultural?exports,?and?conserve?our?environment.?The?USDA?also?plays?an?important?role?in?overseas?aid?programs?by?providing?surplus?foods?to?developing?countries.

The?United?States?Secretary?of?Agriculture?administers?the?USDA.

The?Department?of?Commerce?is?the?government?agency?tasked?with?improving?living?standards?for?all?Americans?by?promoting?economic?development?and?technological?innovation.

The?department?supports?U.S.?business?and?industry?through?a?number?of?services,?including?gathering?economic?and?demographic?data,?issuing?patents?and?trademarks,?improving?understanding?of?the?environment?and?oceanic?life,?and?ensuring?the?effective?use?of?scientific?and?technical?resources.?The?agency?also?formulates?telecommunications?and?technology?policy,?and?promotes?U.S.?exports?by?assisting?and?enforcing?international?trade?agreements.

The?Secretary?of?Commerce?oversees?a?$6.5?billion?budget?and?approximately?38,000?employees.

The?mission?of?the?Department?of?Defense?(DOD)?is?to?provide?the?military?forces?needed?to?deter?war?and?to?protect?the?security?of?our?country.?The?department's?headquarters?is?at?the?Pentagon.

The?DOD?consists?of?the?Departments?of?the?Army,?Navy,?and?Air?Force,?as?well?as?many?agencies,?offices,?and?commands,?including?the?Joint?Chiefs?of?Staff,?the?Pentagon?Force?Protection?Agency,?the?National?Security?Agency,?and?the?Defense?Intelligence?Agency.?The?DOD?occupies?the?vast?majority?of?the?Pentagon?building?in?Arlington,?VA.

The?Department?of?Defense?is?the?largest?government?agency,?with?more?than?1.3?million?men?and?women?on?active?duty,?nearly?700,000?civilian?personnel,?and?1.1?million?citizens?who?serve?in?the?National?Guard?and?Reserve?forces.?Together,?the?military?and?civilian?arms?of?DOD?protect?national?interests?through?war-fighting,?providing?humanitarian?aid,?and?performing?peacekeeping?and?disaster?relief?services.

Department?of?EducationThe?mission?of?the?Department?of?Education?is?to?promote?student?achievement?and?preparation?for?competition?in?a?global?economy?by?fostering?educational?excellence?and?ensuring?equal?access?to?educational?opportunity.

The?Department?administers?federal?financial?aid?for?education,?collects?data?on?America's?schools?to?guide?improvements?in?education?quality,?and?works?to?complement?the?efforts?of?state?and?local?governments,?parents,?and?students.

The?U.S.?Secretary?of?Education?oversees?the?Department's?4,200?employees?and?$68.6?billion?budget.

The?mission?of?the?Department?of?Energy?(DOE)?is?to?advance?the?national,?economic,?and?energy?security?of?the?United?States.

The?DOE?promotes?America's?energy?security?by?encouraging?the?development?of?reliable,?clean,?and?affordable?energy.?It?administers?federal?funding?for?scientific?research?to?further?the?goal?of?discovery?and?innovation?—?ensuring?American?economic?competitiveness?and?improving?the?quality?of?life?for?Americans.

The?DOE?is?also?tasked?with?ensuring?America's?nuclear?security,?and?with?protecting?the?environment?by?providing?a?responsible?resolution?to?the?legacy?of?nuclear?weapons?production.

The?United?States?Secretary?of?Energy?oversees?a?budget?of?approximately?$23?billion?and?more?than?100,000?federal?and?contract?employees.

The?Department?of?Health?and?Human?Services?(HHS)?is?the?United?States?government's?principal?agency?for?protecting?the?health?of?all?Americans?and?providing?essential?human?services,?especially?for?those?who?are?least?able?to?help?themselves.?Agencies?of?HHS?conduct?health?and?social?science?research,?work?to?prevent?disease?outbreaks,?assure?food?and?drug?safety,?and?provide?health?insurance.

In?addition?to?administering?Medicare?and?Medicaid,?which?together?provide?health?insurance?to?one?in?four?Americans,?HHS?also?oversees?the?National?Institutes?of?Health,?the?Food?and?Drug?Administration,?and?the?Centers?for?Disease?Control.

The?Secretary?of?Health?and?Human?Services?oversees?a?budget?of?approximately?$700?billion?and?approximately?65,000?employees.?The?Department's?programs?are?administered?by?11?operating?divisions,?including?8?agencies?in?the?U.S.?Public?Health?Service?and?3?human?services?agencies.

The?missions?of?the?Department?of?Homeland?Security?are?to?prevent?and?disrupt?terrorist?attacks;?protect?the?American?people,?our?critical?infrastructure,?and?key?resources;?and?respond?to?and?recover?from?incidents?that?do?occur.?The?third?largest?Cabinet?department,?DHS?was?established?by?the?Homeland?Security?Act?of?2002,?largely?in?response?to?the?terrorist?attacks?on?September?11,?2001.?The?new?department?consolidated?22?executive?branch?agencies,?including?the?U.S.?Customs?Service,?the?U.S.?Coast?Guard,?the?U.S.?Secret?Service,?the?Transportation?Security?Administration,?and?the?Federal?Emergency?Management?Agency.

DHS?employs?216,000?people?in?its?mission?to?patrol?borders,?protect?travelers?and?our?transportation?infrastructure,?enforce?immigration?laws,?and?respond?to?disasters?and?emergencies.?The?agency?also?promotes?preparedness?and?emergency?prevention?among?citizens.?Policy?is?coordinated?by?the?Homeland?Security?Council?at?the?White?House,?in?cooperation?with?other?defense?and?intelligence?agencies,?and?led?by?the?Assistant?to?the?President?for?Homeland?Security.

The?Department?of?Housing?and?Urban?Development?(HUD)?is?the?federal?agency?responsible?for?national?policies?and?programs?that?address?America's?housing?needs,?that?improve?and?develop?the?nation's?communities,?and?that?enforce?fair?housing?laws.?The?Department?plays?a?major?role?in?supporting?homeownership?for?lower-?and?moderate-income?families?through?its?mortgage?insurance?and?rent?subsidy?programs.

Offices?within?HUD?include?the?Federal?Housing?Administration,?which?provides?mortgage?and?loan?insurance;?the?Office?of?Fair?Housing?and?Equal?Opportunity,?which?ensures?all?Americans?equal?access?to?the?housing?of?their?choice;?and?the?Community?Development?Block?Grant?Program,?which?helps?communities?with?economic?development,?job?opportunities,?and?housing?rehabilitation.?HUD?also?administers?public?housing?and?homeless?assistance.

The?Secretary?of?Housing?and?Urban?Development?oversees?approximately?9,000?employees?on?a?budget?of?approximately?$40?billion.

The?Department?of?the?Interior?(DOI)?is?the?nation's?principal?conservation?agency.?Its?mission?is?to?protect?America's?natural?resources,?offer?recreation?opportunities,?conduct?scientific?research,?conserve?and?protect?fish?and?wildlife,?and?honor?our?trust?responsibilities?to?American?Indians,?Alaskan?Natives,?and?our?responsibilities?to?island?communities.

DOI?manages?500?million?acres?of?surface?land,?or?about?one-fifth?of?the?land?in?the?United?States,?and?manages?hundreds?of?dams?and?reservoirs.?Agencies?within?the?DOI?include?the?Bureau?of?Indian?Affairs,?the?Minerals?Management?Service,?and?the?U.S.?Geological?Survey.?The?DOI?manages?the?national?parks?and?is?tasked?with?protecting?endangered?species.

The?Secretary?of?the?Interior?oversees?about?70,000?employees?and?200,000?volunteers?on?a?budget?of?approximately?$16?billion.?Every?year?it?raises?billions?in?revenue?from?energy,?mineral,?grazing,?and?timber?leases,?as?well?as?recreational?permits?and?land?sales.

The?mission?of?the?Department?of?Justice?(DOJ)?is?to?enforce?the?law?and?defend?the?interests?of?the?United?States?according?to?the?law;?to?ensure?public?safety?against?threats?foreign?and?domestic;?to?provide?federal?leadership?in?preventing?and?controlling?crime;?to?seek?just?punishment?for?those?guilty?of?unlawful?behavior;?and?to?ensure?fair?and?impartial?administration?of?justice?for?all?Americans.

The?DOJ?is?comprised?of?40?component?organizations,?including?the?Drug?Enforcement?Administration,?the?Federal?Bureau?of?Investigation,?the?U.S.?Marshals,?and?the?Federal?Bureau?of?Prisons.?The?Attorney?General?is?the?head?of?the?DOJ?and?chief?law?enforcement?officer?of?the?federal?government.?The?Attorney?General?represents?the?United?States?in?legal?matters,?advises?the?President?and?the?heads?of?the?executive?departments?of?the?government,?and?occasionally?appears?in?person?before?the?Supreme?Court.

With?a?budget?of?approximately?$25?billion,?the?DOJ?is?the?world's?largest?law?office?and?the?central?agency?for?the?enforcement?of?federal?laws.

The?Department?of?Labor?oversees?federal?programs?for?ensuring?a?strong?American?workforce.?These?programs?address?job?training,?safe?working?conditions,?minimum?hourly?wage?and?overtime?pay,?employment?discrimination,?and?unemployment?insurance.

The?Department?of?Labor's?mission?is?to?foster?and?promote?the?welfare?of?the?job?seekers,?wage?earners,?and?retirees?of?the?United?States?by?improving?their?working?conditions,?advancing?their?opportunities?for?profitable?employment,?protecting?their?retirement?and?health?care?benefits,?helping?employers?find?workers,?strengthening?free?collective?bargaining,?and?tracking?changes?in?employment,?prices,?and?other?national?economic?measurements.

Offices?within?the?Department?of?Labor?include?the?Bureau?of?Labor?Statistics,?the?federal?government's?principal?statistics?agency?for?labor?economics,?and?the?Occupational?Safety?&?Health?Administration,?which?promotes?the?safety?and?health?of?America's?working?men?and?women.

The?Secretary?of?Labor?oversees?15,000?employees?on?a?budget?of?approximately?$50?billion.

The?Department?of?State?plays?the?lead?role?in?developing?and?implementing?the?President's?foreign?policy.?Major?responsibilities?include?United?States?representation?abroad,?foreign?assistance,?foreign?military?training?programs,?countering?international?crime,?and?a?wide?assortment?of?services?to?U.S.?citizens?and?foreign?nationals?seeking?entrance?to?the?U.S.

The?U.S.?maintains?diplomatic?relations?with?approximately?180?countries?—?each?posted?by?civilian?U.S.?Foreign?Service?employees?—?as?well?as?with?international?organizations.?At?home,?more?than?5,000?civil?employees?carry?out?the?mission?of?the?Department.

The?Secretary?of?State?serves?as?the?President's?top?foreign?policy?adviser,?and?oversees?30,000?employees?and?a?budget?of?approximately?$35?billion.