Chapter 10
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153
Executive Branch of
Our National
Government
T
he executive branch of government
carries out the national laws,
operates public agencies, such as the
Environmental Protection Agency, and
conducts business withworld leaders about
important issues. ThePresident is the leader
of this branch. He has help from the Vice
President.
The President also is helped by 15
Cabinet members. These cabinet members
are leaders of a specific cabinet agency, or
department. The leader of each department
is called a Secretary. These leaders provide
suggestions and ideas to the President so
that he can make wise decisions. The
Secretaries are selected by the President but
must be approved by members of the
Senate.
Some Cabinet positions are the
Departments of Education, Treasury,
Homeland Security, andDefense, toname a
few. TheDepartment of Defense dealswith
the physical safety of our citizens. The
President is in charge of all armed forces in
our country.
The President and Vice President serve a
termof four years inoffice. Then, theymust
be re-elected by the voters of Pennsylvania
and the other states in our country. The
President can only be elected for two terms
in office. By allowing only two terms in
office, the President cannot gain too much
power.
The President leads the executive branch of our national
government, and lives in theWhite House
