The President’s Cabinet of the U.S. Federal Government

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The President’s Cabinet

Within the three branches of government are many people who play important roles in the running of the country. The cabinet is a group whose role is to advise the President on subjects related to each member’s office. This group includes not only the Vice President of the United States but also the heads of executive departments, including the Attorney General and the secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veteran’s Affairs. Each of these officials is appointed by the President and then confirmed by the Senate and is responsible for running a major federal agency and for carrying out the day-to-day operations of the federal government. Each cabinet member takes the title of “Secretary” of his or her department, with the exception of the head of the justice department, who is known as the Attorney General. Following the Vice President, the Speaker of the House, and the Senate President pro tempore, the cabinet members are included in the line of succession to the presidency in the order in which their departments were created.

Each of the departments and agencies over which the cabinet members preside takes responsibility for a different set of government functions:

The Department of Agriculture is responsible for ensuring the safety of food and regulating farming.
The Department of Commerce is responsible for improving the living standards of the citizens of the country through economic development, and for regulating trade, banking, and the economy. The Census Bureau is a part of this department, as is the Patent and Trademark Office.
The Department of Defense (DOD) is the largest government agency and includes the armed forces of the United States. This department, headquartered at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., helps protect the security of the country.
The Department of Education is responsible for promoting student achievement and making sure that all students have equal access to a quality education. This department administers financial aid for students and gathers data on schools in order to guide improvements for education in the United States.
The Department of Energy regulates utilities and is responsible for ensuring the security of the country’s power supplies. It also promotes new technology to conserve energy resources. The department provides funds for scientific research in this area.
The Department of Health and Human Services includes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health. This department works to ensure the health of U.S. citizens and administers Medicare and Medicaid, which provide health insurance to approximately 25 percent of Americans.
The Department of Homeland Security was established following the terrorist attacks of 2001 and is responsible for security within the United States and for patrolling the borders. This department includes the Immigration and Naturalization Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Transportation Security Administration.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) promotes affordable home ownership for U.S. citizens and ensures that there is no discrimination against those trying to purchase a home. It provides mortgage and loan insurance, administers public housing, and offers assistance to the homeless.
The Department of the Interior works to protect, conserve, and nurture natural resources, including national parks and wildlife. This department manages about 20 percent of the land in the United States and protects endangered species. Agencies such as the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs fall under the responsibility of this department.
The Department of Justice is the largest law office in the world. It is responsible for enforcing the laws and for protecting the interests of U.S. citizens. It includes a total of 40 organizations, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The Department of Labor enforces labor laws in the United States and protects the safety and rights of workers. Programs of this department deal with job training, minimum wage levels, unemployment insurance, and discrimination in hiring. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics are part of this department.
The Department of State is responsible for diplomatic relations with other countries and works to develop and implement the foreign policies of the President. The Secretary of State, who leads this department, is the President’s top advisor on foreign policy.
The Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining and ensuring the safety of the nation’s transportation network. It was responsible for establishing the Interstate Highway System and includes the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The Department of the Treasury collects taxes, manages federal finances, produces coins and currency, and oversees the financial and economic stability of the United States. It works with other agencies, with the governments of foreign countries, and with international financial institutions to raise the standard of living and encourage economic growth worldwide.
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs offers medical care for veterans who are wounded or ill and administers benefits to those who have served in the armed forces and to their families.