White House Office

White House Office
Agency overview
Formed 1857
Headquarters West Wing of the White House
Employees About 150
Agency executive
Parent agency Executive Office of the President of the United States
Website White House Office
President Barack Obama (in the foreground, facing away) meeting April 29, 2009 with senior White House staff.
Individuals present (l–r): David Axelrod (Senior Advisor), Jim Messina (Deputy Chief of Staff), Pete Rouse (Senior Advisor), Rahm Emanuel (Chief of Staff), Robert Gibbs (Press Secretary), Phil Schiliro (Director of Legislative Affairs), Mona Sutphen (Deputy Chief of Staff), Alyssa Mastromonaco (Director of Scheduling and Advance) and Valerie Jarrett (Senior Advisor).

The White House Office is an entity within the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The White House Office is headed by the White House Chief of Staff, who is also the head of the Executive Office.[1] The staff of the various offices are based in the West Wing and East Wing of the White House, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, and the New Executive Office Building. It is made up of personal assistants to the president with offices in the White House. These aides oversee the political and policy interests of the president and do not require Senate confirmation for appointment. They can be removed at the discretion of the president (Examples: National Security Adviser, special consultant to the president)

History

Established in the Executive Office of the President by Reorganization Plan 1 of 1939 and Executive Order 8248 to provide assistance to the President in the performance of his many detailed activities incident to his immediate office. The White House Office is organized in accordance with the wishes of each incumbent President and is directed by staff chosen by the President. A staff authorization was initially established in 1978 (92 Stat. 2445). Some presidential boards, committees, and commissions function organizationally as subunits of the White House Office.[2]

Although still a subunit of the EOP, the White House Office remains the centerpiece of the presidential staff system. In many ways it is closest to the President both in physical proximity, its top aides occupy most of the offices in the West Wing, and in its impact on the day-to-day operations, deliberations, policy agendas, and public communications of a presidency. During the transition to office and continuing throughout an administration, the President enjoys a great deal of discretion in terms of how the White House Office is organized.[1]

Mission

The issues that confront the United States at any one time can not be dealt with by the President alone, and therefore he (or she) must draw on the expertise to administration and even within an administration as one chief of staff may differ from a predecessor or successor. While Chiefs of Staff may differ in the degree of policy advice they provide a President, they are at base the managers of the White House staff system. At least in theory, they are the coordinators bringing the pieces together; they are the tone-setters and disciplinarians making for good organizational order, and often act as the gatekeeper for the President, overseeing every person, document and communication that goes to the President.[1]

Organization

Office of the Chief of Staff

Domestic Policy Council

National Economic Council

Office of Cabinet Affairs

Office of Communications

Office of Digital Strategy

Office of the First Lady

Office of Information Technology

Office of Legislative Affairs

Office of Management and Administration

Office of the National Security Advisor

Office of Political Strategy and Outreach

Office of Presidential Personnel

Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs

Office of Scheduling and Advance

Office of the Staff Secretary

Office of the White House Counsel

White House Fellows

White House Military Office

References

  1. 1 2 3 John P. Burke. "Administration of the White House". Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. Retrieved June 6, 2009.
  2. Harold C. Relyea (March 17, 2008). "The Executive Office of the President: An Historical Overview" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. Retrieved April 14, 2008.
  3. "President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden announce key White House staff" (Press release). Office of the President-Elect. Retrieved April 21, 2009.
  4. Slack, Donovan. "More White House staff changes . . .". Politico.
  5. Loftus, Tom (2014-11-06). "Abramson resigns to work for Obama". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  6. "Establishing A White House Council On Women And Girls" (Press release). Office of the Press Secretary. March 11, 2009. Retrieved June 5, 2009.
  7. "President Obama Appoints Cindy S. Moelis as the Director for the Presidential Commission on White House Fellows" (Press release). Office of the Press Secretary. April 21, 2009. Retrieved June 7, 2009.
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