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The
President's Cabinet
The purpose of the Cabinet is to advise the
President on matters relating to the duties of their respective offices.
As the President's closest and most trusted advisors, members of the
Cabinet attend weekly meetings with the President. The Constitution does
not directly mention a "Cabinet," but the Constitutional authority for a
Cabinet is found in Article II, Section 2. The Constitution states that
the President "may require the opinion, in writing of the principle
officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to
the duties of their respective offices." The Constitution does not say
which or how many executive departments should be created.
Who makes up the Cabinet?
The Cabinet traditionally includes the Vice President and the heads of 15
executive departments-the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense,
Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing
and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury,
and Veterans Affairs, and the Attorney General. Cabinet-level rank has
also been given to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency; the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; the Director
of the National Drug Control Policy; the Assistant to the President for
Homeland Security; and the U.S. Trade Representative.
When requested by the President, other officials
are asked to attend these weekly meetings including, the President's Chief
of Staff, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Chairman of
the Council of Economic Advisors, the Counselor to the President, the
Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Administrator of
the Small Business Administration, and the U.S. Representative to the
United Nations.
How does one become a member of the Cabinet?
The 15 Secretaries from the executive departments are appointed by the
President, and they must be confirmed by a majority vote (51 votes) of the
Senate. They cannot be a member of Congress or hold any other elected
office. Cabinet appointments are for the duration of the administration,
but the President may dismiss any member at any time, without approval of
the Senate. In addition, they are expected to resign when a new President
takes office.
The following is a list of the
current heads of the 15 executive department agencies, their department,
when that department was created, and a brief description of the
department from the
United States
Government Manual. The list is organized by order of
succession. More information about each department can be found in the
United States Government Manual on GPO Access.
Clicking on the name
of the department will take you to that department's Web site.
A second link will take you to a short report explaining the department
you have selected.
This should help you write your summary!
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Secretary of State
Department of State (1789) (this link
will give you current Secretary's information):
Handles foreign affairs and relationships with other nations. It makes
recommendations on foreign policy, negotiates treaties, speaks for the
United States in the United Nations, and represents the United States
at international conferences.Link to
Department report to help you more:
Text 62K
PDF 91K |
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Secretary of the Treasury
Department of the Treasury (1789)
(this link will give you current Secretary's information):
Formulates and recommends economic, financial, tax, and fiscal
policies; serves as financial agent for the US Government; enforces
the law; and manufactures coins and currency.
Link to Department report to help you more:
Text 51K
PDF 87K |
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Secretary of Defense
Department of Defense (1947) (this
link will give you current Secretary's information):
Provides the military forces needed to deter war and to protect the
security of the United States. The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines,
Coast Guard, National Guard, and Reserve Forces are part of this
Department.Link to Department report to
help you more:
Text 40K
PDF 347K |
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Attorney General
Department of Justice (1870) (this
link will give you current Secretary's information):
Enforces and defends the Federal laws of the United States by
preventing and controlling crime, seeking just punishment for those
guilty of unlawful behavior; and enforcing the Nation's immigration
laws.
Link to Department report to help you
more:
Text 74K
PDF 94K |
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Secretary of the Interior
Department of the Interior (1849)
(this link will give you current Secretary's information):
Oversees national conservation efforts and is responsible for most of
our nationally owned public lands, natural resources, and wildlife.
Link to Department report to help you more:
Text 59K
PDF 242K |
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Secretary of Agriculture
Department of Agriculture (1862)
(this link will give you current Secretary's information):
Ensures a safe, affordable, nutritious, and accessible food supply;
cares for agriculture, forest, and range lands; supports the
development of rural communities; and provides economic development
for farmers and rural residents.
Link to Department report to help you
more:
Text 86K
PDF 396K |
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Secretary of Commerce
Department of Commerce (1903) (this
link will give you current Secretary's information):
Promotes economic, business, and job opportunities for all Americans.
It is responsible for all copyrights, patents, and trademarks. It also
plays a major role in Federal government matters related to oceans,
weather, and technology.
Link to Department report to help you
more:
Text 107K
PDF 118K |
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Secretary of Labor
Department of Labor (1913) (this link
will give you current Secretary's information):
Oversees the interests of US workers by protecting workers' wages,
health and safety employment and pension rights; promoting equal
employment opportunity; and administering job training, unemployment
insurance, and workers' compensation programs.
Link to Department report to help you more:
Text 65K
PDF 94K |
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Secretary of Health & Human Services
Department of Health and Human Services (1953)(this
link will give you current Secretary's information):
Protects the health of all Americans and provides essential human
services. The duties of the Department include conducting medical
research, preventing the outbreak of diseases, assuring the safety of
food and drugs; administering financial assistance for low income
families; protecting against child and domestic abuse; and protecting
against drug abuse.Link to Department
report to help you more:
Text 46K
PDF 71K |
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Secretary of Housing & Development
Department of Housing and Urban Development (1965)(this
link will give you current Secretary's information):
Aims to create a decent, safe, and sanitary home and living
environment for every American. It is responsible for home ownership
programs, providing housing assistance for low income persons, helping
the homeless, and promoting growth and development in distressed
neighborhoods.Link to Department report
to help you more:
Text 17K
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Secretary of Transportation
Department of Transportation (1966)(this
link will give you current Secretary's information):
Ensures a fast, safe, efficient, accessible and convenient
transportation system. This includes transportation of people and
goods by car, plane, train, and ship. It is also responsible for
maintaining the Federal highway system.
Link to Department report to help you more:
Text 84K
PDF 111K |
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Secretary of Energy
Department of Energy (1977)(this link
will give you current Secretary's information):
Researches and develops reliable energy systems that are friendly to
the environment, but are not too expensive. It is also responsible for
the Nation's nuclear energy and weapons technologies.
Link to Department report to help you more:
Text 29K
PDF 65K |
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Secretary of Education
Department of Education (1979)(this
link will give you current Secretary's information):
Establishes guidelines and provides leadership to address American
education. It helps local communities meet the needs of their
students. It also helps individuals pay for college and prepare for
employment.
Link to Department report to help you
more:
Text 22K
PDF 59K |
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Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Department of Veterans Affairs (1988)(this
link will give you current Secretary's information):
Acts as the principal advocate for veterans and their families
ensuring that they receive medical care, benefits, social support, and
lasting memorials recognizing their service.
Link to Department report to help you more:
Text 57K
PDF 92K |
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Secretary of Homeland Security
Department of Homeland Security (2003)(this
link will give you current Secretary's information):
Works to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce
America's vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage from
potential attacks and natural disasters.
Link to Department report to help you more:
Text 17K
PDF 57K |
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