Executive Departments/Cabinet Departments

Department of the State

Conduct foreign affairs Send ambassadors around the world Open consulate offices in foreign cities Issue passports and visas Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (for now)

Department of the Treasury

Watches the economy Creates money Collects money

Secretary of Treasury, Timothy Geithner

Department of Defense
Looks after the armed forces of The United States Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta

Department of Justice
Headed by Attorney General Enforce the laws Defends the government in court Eric Holder

Department of the Interior

Looks after the property of the federal government Takes care of our national parks Secretary Ken Salazar

Department of Commerce
Regulates Trade Sets official weights and measures Secretary of Commerce, **** Acting Secretary Rebecca Blank

More Cabinet positions!

Department of Labor
Make sure working environments safe and laws followed Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis

Department of Health and Human Services

Looks after the health of the country Secretary HHS Kathleen Sebelius

Department of Transportation
Oversees roads, airports, shipping trains, etc. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood

A few more to know

Department of Energy
Plans nations energy policy Looks over nuclear facilities

Department of Education
Federal money to schools and colleges

Department of Veterans Affairs

Oversees distribution of veterans benefits and veteran hospitals

Department of Homeland Security

Largest Federal Agency When was it created? Protects Nation from terrorist attacks Secretary Janet Napolitano

On your own
Visit the website: www.whitehouse.gov
View the Administration tab, and select The Cabinet You will need to know ALL 15 Cabinet positions what they do, and who the secretaries for each are. I suggest briefly viewing all 15 Department Websites as well. You are to read the Daily blog regularly so that you have an understanding of the Latest news and updates.

Independent Agencies & Regulatory Commissions

Independent Agencies
Created by Congress to do specific job NASA, Civil Rights Commission

Regulatory Commissions
Make rules over certain aspects of society SEC, NLRB, EPA