Federal departments (the cabinet)
The Department of State, headed by the Secretary of State, advises the President on foreign relations. This department handles all peaceful dealings with other countries, and issues passports to American citizens who wish to travel abroad, and visas to visitors to the United States.
The Treasury Department manages government finances, collects taxes, mints coins and prints paper money. The Secret Service is also a part of the Treasury Department.
The Department of Defence is responsible for the nation’s security. The Secretary of Defence is assisted by the Secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
The Department of Justice, headed by the Attorney General, acts for the government in legal matters and moves against violators of federal laws. The FBI and federal prisons are under its jurisdiction.
The Department of the Interior protects and develops the nation’s natural resources and manages the national parks. It also enforces federal hunting and fishing laws.
The Department of the Agriculture aids food production and looks after the interests of farmers. It issues numerous reports on the supply and prices of farm products, conducts scientific studies of agriculture and lends money to build rural electric systems.
The Department of Labour is concerned with the working conditions, safety and welfare of the nation’s nonfarm workers. It enforces the laws on minimum wages and maximum hours for workers.
The Department of Commerce helps to develop domestic commerce as well as trade with other countries, particularly in the mining, manufacturing and transportation industries.
In 1979 the Department of Health, Education and Welfare was reorganized into two separate agencies: the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education. The Department of Health and Human Services administers many of the nation’s social services programmes on a federal level. The Department of Education administers andcoordinates more than 150 federal aid-to-education programmes.
The Department of Energy is responsible for the research, development and demonstration of energy technology; energy conservation; the nuclear weapons programme; regulation of energy production and use.
5. Match the departments (left column) with their responsibilities (right column):
| 1. Education | takes tax money from our paychecks |
| 2. Health and Human Services | acts in legal matters |
| 3. Treasury | administers many social programmes |
| 4. Justice | administers and co-ordinates financial aid to schools |
6.Imagine that you are the Head of one of the American Departments (your choice). Introduce yourself on behalf of this real person using the plan below:
1.My name is…
2.I’m …years old.
3.I live in…
4.I come from…
5.I’m married/not married.
6.I have…children:…
7.I’m the head of the …Department.
8.I accepted this office in …(year).
9.The functions of my Department are…
10.I belong to the …party.