Organization of the Executive Branch

Vice President

Purposes

The Vice President of the United States holds a public office created by the United States Constitution. The vice president, together with the president of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people through the Electoral College to a four-year term of office. The vice president is the first person in the presidential line of succession, and would ascend to the presidency upon the death, resignation, or removal of the president. While the vice president's only constitutionally prescribed functions, aside from presidential succession, relate to his role as President of the Senate, the office is commonly viewed as a component of the executive branch of the federal government.

Presidential Disability

According to the 25^th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, if there is a vacancy in the office of the President, either by removal or death, the Vice President shall become President. This amendment also establishes the order of presidential succession to resolve any confusion involving the office of the president in a time of crisis. The succession follows the order of Vice President, Speaker of the House, president pro tempore of the Senate, and then the cabinet members in the order their department was created.

The President's Cabinet

The Cabinet of the United States is composed of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government.

Members of the Cabinet serve at the pleasure of the President, which means that the President may dismiss them or reappoint them (to other posts) at will. Members of the Cabinet direct their own departments; however, all of the power that they have derives from the President, in that while they may advise the President, they carry the President's directives. In other words, the Cabinet may help shape policy, but they do not typically drive or direct policy.

The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments. In order of succession to the Presidency: Vice President, Department of State, Department of the Treasury, Department of Defense, Department of Justice, Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Transportation, Department of Energy, Department of Education, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Department of Homeland Security.

The Seals of the President's Cabinet.

The following positions have the status of Cabinet-rank: White House Chief of Staff, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Management & Budget, United States Trade Representative, United States Mission to the United Nations, Council of Economic Advisers, and Small Business Administration.

The Executive Office of the President

The Executive Office of the President (EOP) consists of the immediate staff of the President of the United States, as well as multiple levels of support staff reporting to the President. The EOP is headed by the White House Chief of Staff. The size of the White House staff has increased dramatically since 1939, and has grown to include an array of policy experts in various fields.

The following entities exist within the Executive Office of the President: Council of Economic Advisers, Council of Environmental Quality, Executive Residence, National Security Council, Office of Administration, Office of Management and Budget, Office of National Drug Control Policy, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Office of the United States Trade Representative, Office of the Vice President, and White House Office.

In addition, the following entities exist within the White House Office: Domestic Policy Council, Office of National AIDS Policy, Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation, White House Rural Council, National Security Advisor, National Economic Council, Office of Cabinet Affairs, Office of the Chief of Staff, Office of Communications, Office of the Press Secretary, Media Affairs, Research, Speechwriting, Office of Digital Strategy, Office of the First Lady, Office of the Social Secretary, Office of Legislative Affairs, Office of Management and Administration, White House Personnel, White House Operations, Telephone Office, Visitors Office, Oval Office Operations, Office of Presidential Personnel, Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, Office of Public Engagement, Council on Women and Girls, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Office of Urban Affairs, Office of Scheduling and Advance, Office of the Staff Secretary, Presidential Correspondence, Executive Clerk, Records Management, and Office of the White House Counsel.

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