Office of the Vice President of the United States

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Office of the Vice President
Seal of the Vice President of the United States.svg
Agency overview
Formed1939
Headquarters Eisenhower Executive Office Building
EmployeesApprox 100
Annual budget US$ 2,591,000 (FY2022) [1]
Agency executive
Parent agency Federal government of the United States
Website Vice President JD Vance

The Office of the Vice President includes personnel who directly support or advise the vice president of the United States. The office is headed by the chief of staff to the vice president of the United States, currently. The office also provides staffing and support to the second lady of the United States. It is primarily housed in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (containing the vice president's ceremonial office), [2] with offices for the vice president also in the West Wing, the U.S. Capitol, and in the vice president's official residence.

Contents

History

The vice president has three constitutional functions: to replace the president in the event of death, disability or resignation; to count the votes of electors for president and vice president and declare the winners before a joint session of Congress; and to preside over the Senate (with the role of breaking ties). According to Roger Sherman, a Connecticut congressional cabinet member and Founding Father, if the vice-president did not maintain the role of president of the Senate, then another member would have to occupy the neutral position and thus would make the Senate disproportionate. [3] Vice presidents had few official duties in the executive branch, and were thus considered part of the legislative branch for purposes of salary. Salary for staff of the Office of the Vice President continues to be funded through both legislative and executive branch appropriations.

For the first century and half of its history, the vice president had no staff other than a secretary and a personal assistant or two. This began to change with the 1939 Reorganization Act, which included an "Office of the Vice President" (who at the time was John Nance Garner), under the Executive Office of the President.

Vice President Henry Wallace was given actual executive duties during World War II, as was Alben Barkley, who became a member of the National Security Council in 1949.

The Office of the Vice President has been located in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building since the 1950s. The room in the EEOB was redesigned and included emblems of the Navy Department, coinciding with the office's original purpose, the process was spearheaded by a Boston interior designer, William McPherson. [4] The vice president individually has also been provided an office in the West Wing since 1977. Much of the Office of the Vice President centers around the offices once provided to the secretary of the Navy when the Eisenhower building was first constructed.

Current staff

Office of the Vice President

Office of the Second Lady

See also

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References

  1. "Budget of the U.S. Government Fiscal Year 2022 - Appendix" (PDF). govinfo.gov .
  2. "Vice President of the United States - Ceremonial Office". whitehouse.gov via National Archives.
  3. "Vice President's Role in Senate Is Occasionally Critical | Wilson Center". www.wilsoncenter.org. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  4. "The Vice President's Residence & Office". The White House. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "JD Vance Is Bringing His Senior Senate Staff to His VP Office". NOTUS. January 17, 2025. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  6. "Tucker Carlson's son Buckley is joining JD Vance's staff". ABCnews. January 27, 2025. Retrieved January 29, 2025.