EBR - The President's Cabinet Lesson

 

The President's Cabinet Lesson

The various executive department heads that serve as presidential advisors and assist the president are known as the Cabinet. George Washington began his first term in office with only one aide, his nephew, whom he paid out of his own salary. The power of the presidency has grown tremendously since then and so has the number of people that surround the executive branch of government. Today, there are many advisors in the who assist the president. In addition, the vice president and the First Lady also have large staffs that assist them with specific duties.

Cabinet members are expected to counsel the president by providing good advice on major issues. Cabinet members are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. They can be dismissed from their duties at any time.  

 

The United States Cabinet

 

The United States Cabinet
Position Year Created
Secretary of State 1789
Secretary of the Treasury 1789
Secretary of War (replaced by the Secretary of Defense in 1947) 1789
Attorney General 1789
Secretary of the Interior 1849
Secretary of Agriculture 1862
Secretary of Commerce 1903
Secretary of Labor 1913
Secretary of Health and Human Services 1953
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development 1965
Secretary of Transportation 1966
Secretary of Energy 1977
Secretary of Education 1979
Secretary of Veterans Affairs 1989
Secretary of Homeland Security 2002

 

The Executive Office

Franklin Roosevelt created the Executive Office of the President (EOP) in 1939 in order to administer his New Deal programs. Today, the Executive Office consists of many advisory agencies that work closely with the President. These advisers play key roles in advancing the president's agenda, and the president is able to appoint most of these positions at his discretion without Senate confirmation. In order to successfully carry out policies, the president has the ability to add and eliminate specific agencies from the EOP.

The size of the Cabinet has increased over the years as presidents have recognized demands for services and governmental action. As the size of the Cabinet and their departments have grown, the EOP has grown as well. Presidents have come to rely more heavily on members of the Executive Office and the White House staff.

 

US Intelligence Community Member Seals

 

The Executive Office has grown rapidly in recent years for the following reasons:

  1. The president continues to add new agencies.
  2. The president is advised by experts that are close by.  
  3. There are large federal programs that require agencies to work together to coordinate the efforts of the executive departments and agencies.

Three of the most important agencies within the Executive Office include:

  • The National Security Council advises the president on American military affairs and foreign policies.
  • The Office of Management and Budget (OMB ) is the largest office and helps to prepare the national budget the president proposes to Congress each year.
  • The National Council of Economic Advisers helps the president with economic planning.

The White House Office

The White House Office staff members exist within the Executive Office of the President and are not subject to Senate confirmation, nor do they have divided loyalties. They serve the president as an "inner circle" of trusted advisers. Many have offices in the West Wing of the White House, and they often compete for space in order to get as close as possible to the president's Oval Office. Their titles include: Special Assistant, Counsel, Aide, and Press Secretary.  

The White House staff performs the duties the president assigns. These jobs include:

  1. Gathering information, writing reports, giving advice
  2. Lobbying lawmakers
  3. Presenting the president's views to the media

 

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