The executive departments

The day-to-day enforcement and administration of federal laws 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 14 departments, chosen by the president and approved by the Senate, form a council of advisers generally known as the president's "cabinet." In addition to depart­ments, there are a number of staff organizations grouped into the Executive Office of the President. These include the White House staff, the National Security Council, the Office of Management and Budget, the Council of Economic Advisers, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

The Constitution makes no provi­sion for a presidential cabinet. It does provide that the president may ask opinions, in writing, from the principal officer in each of the exec­utive departments on any subject in their area of responsibility, but it does not name the departments or describe their duties. Similarly, there are no specific constitutional qualifi­cations for service in the cabinet.

The cabinet developed outside the Constitution as a matter of practical necessity, for even in the days of George Washington, the country's first president, it was impossible for the president to discharge his duties without advice and assistance. Cabinets are what any particular president makes them. Some presi­dents have relied heavily on them for advice, others lightly, and some few have largely ignored them. Whether or not cabinet members act as advis­ers, they retain responsibility for directing the activities of the gov­ernment in specific areas of concern.

Each department has thousands of employees, with offices throughout the country as well as in Washington. The departments are divided into divisions, bureaus, offices, and services, each with specific duties.