Title: The Three Branches of Government | GW Political Management Program
Headings: The Three Branches of Government
The Three Branches of Government
The Executive Branch
The President and Vice President
The Cabinet
The Judicial Branch
The Legislative Branch
Government Agency Sites for Students
Recommended Reading

Content: The Executive Branch
In many political forums, a lot of attention is focused on the office of president of the United States. However, the person holding this important office is merely one component of the executive branch. Consisting of the president, vice president, and members of the Cabinet, this branch of the government is responsible for enforcing legislation that has been created by the legislative branch. With its power centralized in the office of the president, who serves as the head of state and commander-in-chief, this branch is responsible for both the general and daily implementation of these laws. The President and Vice President
The president can appoint members of the Cabinet, nominate Supreme Court justices, and appoint the directors of federally controlled agencies such as the DEA and FBI. However, these appointments must be confirmed by the legislative branch in order for them to take effect. The president is also responsible for vetoing or signing bills into law and may only distribute executive orders for the purpose of interpreting existing legislation or as a means of directing the members of the Cabinet. As the commander-in-chief, the president issues orders to the various branches of the military, and they have the power to negotiate treaties and appoint ambassadors. The vice president’s primary role is to assume the duties of the presidency should the president become temporarily or permanently unable to do the job. The vice president also presides over the Senate and can vote when there is a tie.