Essential Guide to the Executive Branch Table of Contents
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The POLITICO Pro ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH TABLE OF CONTENTS › Introduction ............................................ 3 › Branches in Federal Government ............................. 4 › Executive Branch Deep Dive ................................ 5 » What Does the Executive Branch do? » Who Makes up the Executive Branch? » Executive Branch and the Budget Process » Executive Branch and Regulations › Executive Orders Deep Dive ............................... 10 » Executive Orders, Actions, Memorandums and Proclamations FAQs » Executive Orders under President Trump » Amount of Executive Orders by President and by Party 2 | ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO EXECUTIVE BRANCH INTRODUCTION It’s Civics 101. The United States federal government is made up of three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. Each branch’s powers are vested by the U.S. Constitution, and while each has different areas of focus, the system was built so that no single branch of the federal government could become too powerful. In this guide, we’ll focus on the executive branch, taking a deep dive into its responsibilities, who makes up this branch, their role in regulations and budgeting, and what executive orders are and how they work. 3 | ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO EXECUTIVE BRANCH BRANCHES IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Let’s review: The federal government of the United States is made up of three branches. 1 2 3 EXECUTIVE BRANCH LEGISLATIVE BRANCH JUDICIAL BRANCH Led by the president of the United States, Made up of the Senate, House of Consisting of the Supreme Court, Court the executive branch is in charge of Representatives and agencies that support of Appeals and District Courts, it’s this implementing and enforcing laws Congress, it is the legislative branch’s job to group’s responsibility to interpret the laws written by Congress. write, debate and pass laws. Additionally, passed by the legislative branch and settle the Senate is responsible for confirming arguments about how they are enforced. executive branch nominees and officials, They have the authority to decide if laws as well as confirming judiciary nominees. violate the Constitution – this is known Finally, both chambers are responsible for as judicial review. impeachment proceedings of executive and judiciary branch officials. QUICK TIP An easy way to remember what each of the branches within the federal government does: › LEGISLATIVE BRANCH: Makes laws › EXECUTIVE BRANCH: Enforces laws › JUDICIAL BRANCH: Evaluates laws 4 | ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO EXECUTIVE BRANCH EXECUTIVE BRANCH DEEP DIVE What is the Executive Branch? The power of the Executive branch is vested in the president of the United States. 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 PRESIDENT FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS & AGENCIES THE CABINET Who serves in President Trump’s cabinet? › Vice President Mike Pence › 15 department heads (the secretaries + Attorney General) › Seven additional people with “cabinet-status” › White House Chief of Staff, John Kelly › Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, Scott Pruitt › Office of Management & Budget Director, Mick Mulvaney › United States Trade Representative Ambassador, Robert Lighthizer › United States Mission to the United Nations Ambassador, Nikki Haley › Council of Economic Advisers Chairman, Kevin Hassett › Small Business Administration Administrator, Linda McMahon Information adapted from: https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/executive-branch 5 | ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO EXECUTIVE BRANCH Nov. 11, 2016 I Updated Oct. 11, 2017 President Donald Trump’s Cabinet President Donald Trump does not have the traditional cadre of Washington insiders and donors serving on his Cabinet. Most of his Cabinet — industry titans, military leaders and conservative activists — comprise one of the more eclectic and controversial presidential cabinets in modern history. UPDATE AGRICULTURE ATTORNEY GENERAL COMMERCE DEFENSE EDUCATION ENERGY HHS Former Georgia Gov. Sen. Jeff Sessions Wilbur Ross is a billion- Retired Marine Gen. Betsy DeVos, 58, a Former Texas Gov. Rick HHS Deputy Secretary Sonny Perdue, whose (R-Ala.) is known for his aire investor, former Jim “Mad Dog” Mattis, school-choice activist, Perry heads an agency Eric Hargan will serve name was one of the first hard-line views on Rothschild banker and former U.S. Central billionaire philanthro- he once he promised to as the agency’s acting to surface as a possible immigration and legali- specialist in bankruptcy Command chief, served pist and Republican abolish during the 2012 secretary. Don Wright, pick, seems to satisfy zation of marijuana. and corporate more than four decades mega-donor, was the presidential campaign. a longtime staffer of the the agriculture industry’s In 1986, Sessions was turnarounds. In 2000, in the Marine Corps. chair for the American Perry, a climate skeptic, agency, had been serving request for someone he founded W.L. Ross, From 2007 to 2010, Federation for Children, as the agency’s acting a former U.S. prosecu- leads an agency that with farming experience. tor whose nomination which has invested in Mattis served as NATO’s an advocacy group that oversees the security secretary after the Perdue, who grew up nearly 180 companies, supreme allied has aggressively resignation of Tom Price for a federal judgeship of the nation’s nuclear on a row crop farm, has was rejected by the notably in Rust Belt states. commander of transfor- pushed to expand weapons, writes over controversy owned several small mation. He was the top charter schools and surrounding his air travel. GOP-controlled Senate His firm is known to buy efficiency regulations, agribusiness and trans- Judiciary Committee failed companies in U.S. commander in Iraq school voucher runs energy research Hargan was confirmed portation companies. and Afghanistan from programs that provide because of accusations distressed sectors — programs and funds as deputy secretary by During his two terms of racism. In 1995, he steel or coal — at steep 2010 to 2013. families with public basic science. Conser- the Senate on a 57-38 money to spend on as governor, Perdue was elected Alabama’s discounts, implementing Mattis, who was active vatives had favored him vote. It’s Hargan’s second pursued economic attorney general. severe cost reductions, duty within the past private school tuition. as someone with go-around at HHS: He development through such as cutting worker seven years, would management experi- served in several roles trade and raised the pay and benefits, and require a Congressional ence who would be from 2003 to 2007, profile of the Port of selling investments waiver to get confirmed. willing to question the including as acting deputy Savannah. He also for profit. agency’s status quo. secretary, before leaving focused on cutting government work to government spending practice law in Chicago. and improving edu- Betsy DeVos Rick Perry cation in the state. President James Mattis CONFIRMED CONFIRMED Wilbur Ross Trump CONFIRMED 50-50* 62-37 Jeff Sessions CONFIRMED 98-1 VACANT CONFIRMED 72-27 Ben Carson 52-47 CONFIRMED Sonny Perdue 58-41 CONFIRMED 87-11 EDUCATION ENERGY HHS DEFENSE HUD COMMERCE JUSTICE VA USDA TREASURY DOT DHS STATE INTERIOR LABOR David Shulkin CONFIRMED 100-0 Steven Mnuchin VACANT VACANT Elaine Chao CONFIRMED CONFIRMED Rex Tillerson CONFIRMED 53-47 88-11 Ryan Zinke Alexander Acosta CONFIRMED 93-6 *DeVos was confirmed CONFIRMED CONFIRMED 56-43 with Vice President Mike Pence casting the 68-31 60-38 tie-breaking vote. UPDATE DHS INTERIOR LABOR STATE DOT TREASURY VETERANS AFFAIRS Trump is expected Trump has tapped Alexander Acosta, a Rex Tillerson, 64, the Elaine Chao, wife of Steven Mnuchin is David Shulkin, the former to nominate Kirstjen freshman Rep. Ryan former Justice Depart- longtime CEO of Sen. Mitch McConnell a 17-year-veteran of undersecretary for health Nielsen, who served Zinke (R-Mont.), an ment official and current ExxonMobil, has (R-Ky.), served as labor Goldman Sachs who at Veterans Affairs, has been as White House chief of ex-Navy SEAL dean of Florida Int’l. worked at Exxon for secretary for all eight worked as the chairman tapped to lead the agency staff John Kelly’s No. 2 commander, to be Univ. College of Law, more than 40 years, years of George W. and chief executive in the new administration. during his time as DHS Interior secretary. The was named after climbing up the ranks Bush’s presidency. Chao of his own private A former physician, Shulkin secretary and moved offer comes just days Trump’s first pick, from an engineer to also served as deputy investment firm, Dune has served in his current with him to the West after No. 4 House fast-food CEO Andrew become the CEO. He secretary of transporta- Capital Management. role since 2015. Wing as his principal Republican Rep. Cathy Puzder, backed out. has made a number of tion under President Dune, along with investors, bought deputy chief of staff McMorris Rodgers Acosta clerked for large deals, including George H.W. Bush. (R-Wash.) was reported the purchase of XTO IndyMac, a failed bank, HUD when he was appointed Justice Samuel Alito Chao is a Harvard to be the favorite to Energy in 2009. from the FDIC in 2009. in July. when he was a judge Business School Dr. Ben Carson, retired win the position. Under Mnuchin, the Nielsen, 45, is a on the U.S. Court of Tillerson is likely to face graduate; was a banker neurosurgeon and former bank faced criticism cybersecurity expert Out of all the Republi- Appeals for the Third extensive questions at Citigroup; and director of pediatric over aggressive and an attorney with an cans on the Hill, Zinke Circuit. He also served on Capitol Hill, as a president and chief neurosurgery at Johns foreclosure tactics. extensive background has one of the on the Nat’l. Labor number of prominent executive officer of the Hopkins Univ., cites his in homeland security, strongest track records Relations Board under Republicans have United Way of America. Mnuchin, an industry childhood in Detroit and on conservation and President George already voiced insider with close ties his experience treating including stints at TSA She is a fellow at public land issues.