The President's Cabinet
Do you have friends that you turn to for advice?
When the President wants advice he asks a group of people called the
Cabinet. The purpose of the Cabinet is to advise the President. They
are the President's closest and most trusted advisors. The Cabinet includes
the Vice President, the heads of 15 executive branch departments, and
other Government officials chosen by the President. The Cabinet meets
at least once a week to discuss matters that effect the United States.
The 14 Secretaries from the executive departments
and the Attorney General are nominated by the President, and they must
be approved (confirmed) by a majority vote (51 votes) of the Senate.
Nominees can not be a member of Congress or hold any other elected office.
Executive department Secretaries and the Attorney General serve as long
as the President is in office.
The following is a list of the 15 executive department agencies, when
that department was created, and a brief description of the department.
The list is organized by order of succession. More detailed information
is available in the United
States Government Manual.
|
Secretary of State
Department
of State (1789):
Works with other countries. |
|
Secretary of the Treasury
Department
of the Treasury (1789):
Supervises the collection of taxes and the printing of money. |
|
Secretary of Defense
Department
of Defense (1947):
Oversees the armed forces. |
|
Attorney General
Department
of Justice (1870):
Enforces the U.S. Government's laws. |
|
Secretary of the Interior
Department
of the Interior (1849):
Protects natural resources and wildlife. |
|
Secretary of Agriculture
Department
of Agriculture (1862):
Ensures a healthy food supply and provides support for farmers. |
|
Secretary of Commerce
Department
of Commerce (1903):
Promotes business and job opportunities for all Americans, responsible
for all copyrights, patents, and trademarks; and oversees matters
related to oceans, weather, and technology. |
|
Secretary of Labor
Department
of Labor (1913):
Oversees the interests of U.S. workers. |
|
Secretary of Health & Human Services
Department
of Health and Human Services (1953):
Looks after people's health and provides services including conducting
medical research, preventing diseases, assuring the safety of food
and drugs; providing financial assistance for low income families. |
|
Secretary of Housing & Development
Department
of Housing and Urban Development (1965):
Oversees housing needs, and focuses on improving and developing
communities. |
|
Secretary of Transportation
Department
of Transportation (1966):
Oversees the nation's transportation system including highways,
railroads, ports, and air travel. |
|
Secretary of Energy
Department
of Energy (1977):
Researches and develops energy systems that are friendly to the
environment, but are not too expensive. |
|
Secretary of Education
Department
of Education (1979):
Establishes guidelines and provides leadership to address American
education. It helps local communities meet the needs of their students. |
|
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Department
of Veterans Affairs (1988):
Operates programs for veterans and their families. |
|
Secretary of Homeland Security
Department
of Homeland Security (2003):
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. |
To learn more, choose from the following:
|
|
|