1. THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS

2. HISTORY OF THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS The first Executive Departments were created after the first session of Congress in1789, in which, the Departments of State, Treasury, and War were created Each Department, excepting the Department of Justice who’s head is known as the Attorney General, is headed up by a Secretary The Constitution does not directly refer to cabinet advisors, but Article II, Section 2, briefly states that “he [the president] may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices.” Under George Washington a total of four Cabinet positions were created. Secretary of State- Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of Treasury-Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of War (now Defense), and Attorney General (not called Department of Justice until 1870)

3. THE CABINET’S ROLE Though the primary role of the Secretaries is to manage their respective Departments, George Washington began using the Department heads as advisors. Over the years, President’s have called Cabinet meetings as often as twice a week to seek advice In more recent years, especially since the Presidency of FDR, the Cabinet’s role in advising the President has been greatly eclipsed by the advisory duties of members of the Executive office of the President (EOP) "I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national emergency -- even if I'm in a Cabinet meeting.”- Ronald Reagan

4. HOW ARE THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS ORGANIZED? Departments vary greatly in both size and structure, but all implement a bureaucratic system to achieve efficiency  Ex: The Department of Defense is the largest Department, with 1.7 million employees, contains many subunits (Army, Navy, Air Force are some of the largest). Conversely, the Department of Education is the smallest with about 5,000 Civil Servants working in several much smaller subunits. An Under Secretary or Deputy Secretary as well as several assistant secretaries help the secretaries in managing the many Civil Servants (Or in the case of the DoD military personnel)

7. HOW DOES THE PRESIDENT CHOOSE HIS CABINET When selecting a Cabinet, Presidents are very conscience of their choices. Not only does the President want to place highly qualified individuals as heads over their respective Departments, the President also takes many other factors into consideration  Party- Presidents often choose members from within their own party for Cabinet positions. In 2009 President Obama had three Republicans in his Cabinet. The most members from an opposing party in the history of America.  Gender- Presidents in recent years have made a concerted effort to place more women into Cabinet positions Obama also holds the record with a total of 8 women at one point in time having served in his Cabinet

9. HOW DOES THE PRESIDENT CHOOSE HIS CABINET (CONTINUED)  Race- In recent years presidents have also taken race into consideration. President George W. Bush ‘s appointment of Colin Powell as Secretary of Sate was the first time in which an African-American was appointed as the highest ranking Cabinet position. The second was also under Bush when Condoleezza Rice was appointed to the position. Making her the second woman and second African-American, but first African-American woman to serve in that position  Geography- Presidents choose members of the Cabinet from various geographical areas for multiple reasons: 1. Because they want the cabinet to reflect the American people 11. Because certain Secretaries should come from certain environments Secretary of Agriculture should not be from New York City just as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development should not be from Amherst County, Virginia

10. HOW DOES A PRESEDENTIAL APPOINTMENT WORK? Most Presidential appointments require Senatorial Confirmation Senatorial confirmation requires a simple majority The President first submits his nominee proposal to the respective committee for a committee hearing  For example, President Obama will submit his proposal for a new supreme court justice to the Senate Judiciary Committee The committee will then vet the nominee and will conclude their hearing with a favorable recommendation, unfavorable recommendation, or without recommendation  Since 1945 only one unfavorable nominee has passed senatorial confirmation The committee with report their recommendation to the entirety of the senate, and the senate will hold a vote.

11. PRESIDENTIAL POWER TO REORGANIZE BUREAUCRACY In 1939, Congress passed a bill allowing the President to reorganize or even cut government agencies or departments barring a Legislative Veto In 1983, the Supreme Court ruled the Legislative Veto unconstitutional, and ruled that if the President wanted to change the organization of the Federal bureaucracy, he would have to get congress to write and pass the legislation and then sign it Just as the President submits a budget proposal to congress every year, he is also free to submit a proposal for the reorganization or elimination of a department or agency, but ultimately it is Congress who must write the legislation.