The Chief Executive
The executive branch is the branch that interprets the laws.
True or False?
False. The Executive branch ENFORCES the laws.
What is the difference between a line agency and a staff agency?
Line agencies carry out policies; staff agencies provide advice and support.
ie. Line agencies: 15 basic units (Departments)
Staff agencies: Cabinet, EOP
Who appoints Cabinet members?
The President
Under the Constitution, a Presidential candidate has to be AT LEAST .... years old.
35
Who is third in line to the presidency after the President and the Vice President?
Speaker of the House.
Which Article of the Constitution stated that "The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States."
Article II, Section I
Give 5 examples of line agencies.
Department of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, Justice
or NASA, FBI, ...
Which branch of government must confirm the President’s Cabinet appointments?
(answer MUST be exact)
Senate
Who can remove the President from office before their term ends?
Congress (through impeachment and conviction)
If the president is removed from office, dies, resigns, or is unable to carry out the duties of the office, these duties “devolve on the ...........”
Vice President
What does it mean to be the “Chief Executive” of the United States?
The person who enforces federal laws and oversees the federal government
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AmTrak) is part of U.S. Executive Branch.
True or False?
True, it's considered a government corporation.
Who is more powerful: Secretary or Attorney General?
Trick question!
No one is strictly more powerful — they hold equal Cabinet rank, but power depends on context, current events, and presidential trust.
How is the President of the U.S. elected?
By the Electoral College
Which amendment to the US Constitution outlines procedures for presidential succession and disability? (It addresses what happens if the president dies, resigns, is removed from office, or becomes incapacitated.)
25th Amendment
Who assists the President in managing the executive branch?
Name at least 2.
Cabinet members, Executive Office of the President, and heads of agencies
Explain the practical reasons why Congress or the President would prefer to establish a smaller agency instead of creating a new Cabinet department.
Creating a smaller agency is more flexible, less costly, and faster than forming a full department. It allows specialization without expanding bureaucracy on a Cabinet level.
The National Security Council (NSC) is part of which staff agencies?
The Executive Office of the President
Name at least 2 reasons that a President (as well as federal judges and other high officials) could be impeached and removed for.
Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Name all 3 Presidents who have been impeached in the history of USA.
1. Andrew Johnson (1868)
2. Bill Clinton (1998)
3. Donald Trump (twice) (2019 & 2021)
This is an early U.S. governing document. It did not include a separate executive office, highlighting the shift in power structure created by the Constitution.
Articles of Confederation
Explain the main difference between an executive agency (like NASA) and a regulatory commission (like the FCC).
Executive agencies focus on implementing policies and programs, while regulatory commissions enforce rules and regulations over specific sectors and are designed to be more independent from political influence.
Name at least 2 cabinet picks of Donald Trump in his second term.
JD Vance - Vice President
Robert Francis Kennedy Jr. - Secretary of Health and Human Services
Can a President be re-elected after being removed by impeachment? Why or why not?
No, Article I, Section 3 answers the question squarely:
"Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States: but the party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment and punishment, according to law."
What event led to Congress passing an amendment laying out the clear protocol for what happens if the president or vice president resigns, becomes incapacitated or disabled, or dies?
The assassination of John F. Kennedy