The Constitution gives the President the power to appoint Supreme Court Justices and other federal judges. The Senate then confirms or disapproves the appointments. Additionally, the President may delay or reduce the punishment of someone convicted of a crime in a federal court, and even pardon the person, eliminating the punishment altogether.

Obviously, the President cannot complete all of the tasks of the presidential office alone. There are fifteen “executive departments” that help to carry the load. These include the Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security, Treasury, Interior, Justice, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, and Veterans Affairs. There are numerous smaller agencies and organizations, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), that help to accomplish the goals of these various departments. The President appoints the head of each of these executive departments with the approval of the Senate. These heads, who are all called Secretaries (as in the Secretary of State, etc.) except the head of the Justice Department, who is called the Attorney General, act as an advisory council to the President. This council is called the Cabinet. The President may also invite other officials, including the Vice President, to be part of the Cabinet.

Additionally, there are many regulatory commissions, corporations, and boards, each of which establishes and carries out rules for certain activities. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), for example, makes guidelines for radio and television stations, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) establishes safety standards for household products. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Federal Reserve System (FRS), Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) are a few of these regulatory agencies.

Use the Activity Button below to explore the current Presidential Cabinet.