u.s. GOVERNMENT |
The Executive Branch |
The chief executive of the United States is the president, who together with the vice-president is elected to a four year term. As a result of a 1951 constitutional amendment, a president may be elected to only two terms. The president's powers are formidable but not unlimited. As the chief formulator of national policy, the president proposes legislation to Congress and may veto any bill passed by Congress. The president is commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
The executive branch of the Government is responsible for enforcing the laws of the land. The Vice President, department heads (Cabinet members), and heads of independent agencies assist in this capacity. Unlike the powers of the President, their responsibilities are not defined in the Constitution but each has special powers and functions.
As the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush presides over the executive branch, which includes 15 executive departments, the Executive Office of the President and numerous other independent agencies. The day-to-day enforcement and administration of federal law is in the hands of the various executive departments, created by Congress to deal with specific areas of national and international affairs. The heads of the departments, chosen by the President and approved by the Senate, form a council of advisers known as the President's Cabinet.
See also:
About the USA: History of the United States
About the USA: Holidays-President's Day
Abridged from US State Department IIP publications and other US government materials.
Background
· The American Presidency (Grolier Online)
· First Ladies in the White House (White House)
· Presidential and Vice-Presidential Salaries (University of Michigan)
· Presidential Inauguration (U.S. Dept. of State. IIP)
· Presidential Transportation - Air Force One (Boeing)
· The President of the United States (Wikipedia Encyclopedia)
· The Presidents of the United States (White House)
· White House Historical Association
· The White House Homepage
Original Documents
· The American Presidency Project (University of California, Santa Barbara)
· Inaugural Addresses (Bartleby)
· The Oath of Office
· The Papers of the Presidents of the United States (Avalon Project at the Yale Law School)
· President Bush. Inaugural Address, January 20, 2005
· President Bush. State of the Union Address, January 23, 2007
· Public Papers of the Presidents
· Weekly Compilations of Presidential Documents
Multimedia
· The American President (Miller Center, University of Virginia))
· American Presidents. Life Portraits. (C-SPAN)
· President. State of the Union Address, January 23, 2007 (White House) audio & video
· John F. Kennedy: Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961 (JFK Presidential Library) · Life in the White House (White House)
Exhibits
· The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden (Smithsonian)
· Hall of Presidents (National Portrait Gallery)
· I Do Solemnly Swear ... Presidential Inaugurations (Library of Congress)
· Portraits of the Presidents and First Ladies (Library of Congress)
· Presidential Libraries (National Archives)
· Token & Treasures: Gifts to Twelve Presidents (National Archives)
For Primary and Secondary School Students
· The Executive Branch - Presidency (Congress for Kids. Dirksen Congressional Center)
· How Air Force One Works (Howstuffworks Inc.)
· Inauguration Quiz (National Archives)
· Mr. President: Profiles of our Nation's Leaders (Smithsonian)
· National Geographic's Inside the White House
· POTUS - Presidents of the United States (Internet Public Library)
· President for a Day (PBS Kids Democracy Project)
· Presidents (Information Please Almanac)
· Presidents of the United States (World Almanac for Kids)
· U. S. Presidents (Scholastic. Online Activity Center)
· US Presidents - United in Service (White House)
Teacher Resources
· Advising the President: A Simulated Cabinet Meeting
(Schools of California Online Resources for Education)
· "I do solemnly swear": Presidential Inaugurations (EdSitement)
· Inauguration for Teachers. Lesson Plans and Related Activities (PBS)
· The President: Politician in Chief (PBS Democracy Project)
· The President's Roles and Responsibilities: Understanding the President's Job (EdSitement)
· Presidential Speeches (DiscoverySchool.com)
· State of the Union Address 2003 (PBS NewsHour)
· U.S. Presidency - Lesson Plans (TeacherVision.com)
· White House Historical Association. Classroom
Link Lists
· Executive Branch - Overview and Links (U.S. Department of State)
· Federal Government Resources - President of the United States (University of Michigan)
· Official US Executive Branch Web Sites (Library of Congress)
· Presidential Sites - Specific Presidents (ibiblio/University of North Carolina)
· Presidents (Google Web Directory)
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