Today: Notes on Key Executive Departments CIA - Projects

1. Hello Seniors! Today: Notes on Key Executive Departments CIA - Projects EQ: What is the purpose of the Executive branch and how does each department work together to see that our government functions?

3. Department of EducationPurpose: to promote student achievement and preparation for competition in a global economy. The Department administers federal financial aid collects data on America's schools Department of Defense (Pentagon) Purpose: to provide the military forces needed to deter war and to protect the security of our country. The DOD includes: • Army, Navy, and Air Force • Joint Chiefs of Staff, • the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, • the National Security Agency, and • the Defense Intelligence Agency. The DOD: • Fights Wars • providing humanitarian aid • performing peacekeeping • disaster relief services.

4. Department of Health and Human Services • Purpose: principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. Agencies of HHS: • conduct health research • prevent disease outbreaks • assure food and drug safety • provide health insurance • administering Medicare and Medicaid • Oversees: • the National Institutes of Health • the Food and Drug Administration • the Centers for Disease Control. Department of Energy Purpose: to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States. The DOE: • Administers federal funding for scientific research • Ensuring America's nuclear security • Protecting the environment

5. Department of Housing and Urban Development • Purpose: address America's housing needs, improve and the nation's communities, enforce fair housing laws. • Offices within HUD: • provide mortgage and loan insurance • ensure all Americans equal access to the housing of their choice • help with economic development • job opportunities • housing rehabilitation • administers public housing • homeless assistance. Department of Homeland Security Purpose: to prevent and disrupt terrorist attacks; and respond to and recover from incidents that do occur. DHS was established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002, in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The new department including: • the U.S. Customs Service • the U.S. Coast Guard • the U.S. Secret Service • the Transportation Security Administration • the Federal Emergency Management Agency. THE DoH : • patrols borders • protects travelers and our transportation infrastructure • enforces immigration laws • responds to disasters and emergencies. • promotes preparedness and emergency prevention among citizens.

6. Department of Justice • Purpose: enforce the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice. • The DOJ includes: • Drug Enforcement Administration • the Federal Bureau of Investigation • the U.S. Marshals • the Federal Bureau of Prisons. • The Attorney General is the head of the DOJ and chief law enforcement officer of the federal government. • The Attorney General represents the United States in legal matters and advises the President Department of the Interior Purpose: principal conservation agency. Its mission is to protect America's natural resources, offer recreation opportunities, conduct scientific research, conserve and protect fish and wildlife, and honor our trust responsibilities to American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and our responsibilities to island communities. DOI manages: • 500 million acres of surface land • hundreds of dams and reservoirs. • The national parks

7. Department of Labor • Purpose: ensuring a strong American workforce. address job training, safe working conditions, minimum hourly wage and overtime pay, employment discrimination, and unemployment insurance. • DOL jobs include: • improving their working conditions • advancing their opportunities for profitable employment, • protecting their retirement and health care benefits, • helping employers find workers • strengthening free collective bargaining • tracking changes in employment, prices, and national economics. • Department of State • Purpose: plays the lead role in developing and implementing the President's foreign policy. Responsibilities include • United States representation abroad • foreign assistance • foreign military training programs • countering international crime • The U.S. maintains diplomatic relations with approximately 180 countries — each posted by civilian U.S. Foreign Service employees — as well as with international organizations.

8. Department of Veterans Affairs Purpose: administering benefit programs for veterans, their families, and their survivors. These benefits include: • pension • education • disability compensation • home loans • life insurance • vocational rehabilitation • survivor support • medical care • burial benefits. Department of Transportation Purpose: to ensure a fast, safe, efficient, accessible and convenient transportation system that meets our vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people. DOT includes • Federal Highway Administration • Federal Aviation Administration • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration • Federal Transit Administration • Federal Railroad Administration • Maritime Administration.

9. Department of the Treasury • Purpose: promoting economic prosperity and ensuring the soundness and security of the U.S financial systems. • The Department of the Treasury is responsible for: • the production of coin and currency • the disbursement of payments to the American public • the collection of taxes • the borrowing of funds necessary to run the federal government • improving safeguards of our financial systems • implementing economic sanctions against foreign threats to the U.S. • identifying and targeting the financial support networks of national security threats

10. CIA • Sole independent intelligence agency in the U.S. • Reports to the Director of National Intelligence • 14.7 billion dollar budget (plus additional classified allowances) Formed in WWII as a spy agency they CIA has 5 key purposes today: • Counterterrorism, the top priority given the ongoing Global War on Terror. • Nonproliferation of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, with North Korea described as perhaps the most difficult target. • Warning American leaders of important overseas events, with Pakistan described as an "intractable target". • Counterintelligence, with China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, and Israel described as "priority" targets. • Cyber intelligence.

11. Happy Mini Block Seniors! Today: • Presentations on CIA action in small groups • Small group discussion/reflection on U.S. covert action

12. As a group – Answer the following questions – submit written notes. Doesn’t have to be a paragraph. What are all of the factors—economic, political, cultural, and psychological—within US society that explain the frequent contradictions between the ideals and the actions of the US government? Identify and explain the factors. Should high-ranking US government officials (including Presidents) be criminally prosecuted for violating the Nuremburg Principles and crimes of terrorism? Why or why not? If yes, how? Who can/ should prosecute them? Are tax payers in the US morally responsible for what our leaders do with our tax dollars? Why or why not? If we are, what can/ should we do? Be as detailed as possible. Drone strikes in Pakistan have killed between 2,296-3,718 Pakistani citizens. For a comparison 2996 people were killed on 9-11. Special forces went into Pakistan and assassinated Osama Bin Laden for those killed on 9-11. What would be the justification against Pakistani special forces coming into the United States and assassinating Barak Obama and George W Bush for killing their citizens?