Unit 4 Executive Departments

Department of Agriculture

  • AKA USDA (United states department of agriculture)
  • Lincoln - increase interest in agriculture, aid farmers,
  • provide leadership on
    • food
    • agriculture
    • natural resources
    • rural development
    • nutrition related issues (My Plate, Daily Value, etc)
  • Secretary
    • Worked under Obama administration not trump and now Biden again

Department of Commerce

  • Originally w/ Labor in 1903 by Taft
  • Expand commerce & industry within the country
  • WWI
    • Census taken provided info on men eligible for draft (Census Bureau)
  • NIRA struck down
  • Economic growth and opportunity for all communities
  • NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
    • originally was here due to trade & needs to be watched over
  • Main Ideas
    • Drive innovation
    • climate crisis
    • discovery
    • service
  • Secretary
    • Was one of Biden’s vice president options

Department of Defense

  • The name - 1947 - National Security Department
  • WWII
  • So they could report directly to the president
  • Provides military power
  • consists of all military members
  • created to provide policy to do with the military
  • strengthen our forces
  • Bipartisan issue
  • Secretary
    • US military academy
    • army for 41 years
    • 4 star general
    • bachelors in science and masters in business
    • MUST be a civilian

Department of Education

  • \

Department of Energy

  • roots in the manhattan project - 1946
  • all departments wanted the nuclear program specifically defense
  • use of atomic/nuclear energy commercially
  • energy development and regulation as well as nuclear weapons
  • ensure america’s prosperity and security
  • renewable and fossil fuels energy
  • provide electricity into the safety of all american homes
  • secretary
    • woman
    • Berkeley and Harvard
    • governor of Michigan & Attorney general
  • Oversaw the nuclear fusion (the sun) instead of fission

Department of Health and Human Services

  • Public health, social services, advancement in medicine
  • Help with the epidemic
  • Human Genome Project
  • Vaccines
  • Affordable health care
  • CDC Center for Disease Control
  • drug safety
  • FDA Food and Drug Administration
  • mental health
  • preparation for future emergencies
  • Secretary
  • House of Reps
  • First Latino to hold office in this cabinet ever
  • Began as a lawyer
  • Typically a doctor unlike him
  • Monkey pox was overshadowed by COVID

Department of Homeland Security

  • Because of 9/11
  • 22 agencies existed before that were then combined
  • TSA was created Travel Safety Agency
  • Secretary
    • law enforcement officer
    • Obama administration Department #2
    • Congress looking into impeachment due to borders
    • Counter-terrorism
    • boarder security
    • cyber security
    • immigration laws
    • infrastructure
    • human trafficking
  • FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
  • Coast Guard
  • ICE
  • USSS aka Secret Service
    • trying to catch people making counterfeit currency

Department of Housing and Urban Development

  • AKA HUD
  • Housing Act of 1937
  • Department made in 1965
  • Housing discrimination at the time - redlining
  • Focused on housing discrimination
  • Housing needs for Americans
  • enforce fair housing laws

Department of the Interior

  • Domestic Affairs specifically
  • 1849 - Westward expansion
  • Boundaries
  • National Parks & Geological
  • Territories - EX Guam
  • Manages national resources & cultural heritage
  • Manage public lands
  • Native Americans, Alaska Native and other Island Communities
  • Endangered Species
  • Track Earthquakes
  • Secretary
    • First Indigenous cabinet secretary
    • First Indigenous congress member
    • 35th Generation New Mexican

Department of Justice

  • Enforces federal laws
  • seeks just punishment for the guilty
  • Ensure fair & impartial administration of justice
  • originally the office of the Attorney General
  • 1870 - official creation
  • FBI
  • Every prison is under this department
  • Secretary = Attorney General
    • Harvard graduate
    • meant to be on the supreme court but the senate did not do anything with the nomination

Department of Labor

  • Originally with commerce
  • Organic Act in 1913
    • Taft
  • Laborers protesting for representation
  • Child Labor issues - tried to make an amendment
  • Great Depression w/ New Deal Programs
  • Work Place Safety
  • Improve working conditions
  • safety & compensation
  • Protection for veterans and mine workers
  • safety standards
  • Secretary
    • Born to immigrant parents
    • prior mayor
    • used to be part of a labor union

Department of State

  • Oldest, Highest Ranking Department
  • 1789
  • Originally the Foreign Affairs department focused on & foreign policy
  • Protect American citizens abroad
  • Fight Terrorism
  • Create an international environment in which all Americans can be safe
  • Human Rights
  • Economic Growth
  • Secretary is fluent in french & has ties to France thus ties to being abroad
  • Biden knows him personally

Department of Transportation

  • Congress act by lyndon b johnson with operations in 1967
  • fast, safe, efficient, accessible and convenient transportation
  • Based on the Commerce Clause
  • Transportation’s connections to economy
  • Secretary was the first openly gay member of the cabinet
  • repairing floods & roads as well as emergency relief funds

Department of the Treasury

  • 1776
  • global economic growth
  • financial stability
  • IRS
  • Production of Coin and Currency
  • Oversee the economy of the US
  • Taxes
  • Borrow money on behalf of Congress
  • Secretary
    • First Female in department
    • Chair of Federal Reserve (not connected to department)

Department of Veteran Affairs

  • 1989 under Reagan
  • Protection of Veterans - specifically injured ones
  • GI Bill
  • Health Benefits
  • Non-Health Benefits
    • Insurance
    • Education
    • Home-Loans
  • Cemetery
  • Secretary
    • fired by tweet by trump
    • Not a veteran