Ch 8 3 THE CABINET Cabinet Secretaries the

Ch. 8. 3 THE CABINET Cabinet Secretaries, the vice president, and other top officials that help the president make decisions and policy

The Selection of the Cabinet � The president appoints the heads of 15 executive departments. � Cabinet secretaries; advise the president; and administer huge � ◦ called secretaries, along with the VP and other officials they make up the cabinet. bureaucracies. In appointing department heads, the president must balance the following factors: ◦ A. Must have a background that fits the department he or she will head. ◦ B. It should be gender and racially balanced. ◦ C. They often have advanced college degrees. The selection process includes the following steps: ◦ A. The president-elect draws up a list of candidates ◦ B. Key staff members meet with the candidates to discuss the issues ◦ C. The Senate holds confirmation hearings on the choices for cabinet heads.

The Role of the Cabinet � They meet when the president calls them together. � Meetings take place in the cabinet room of the White House and are closed to the public and press. � The cabinet’s role in decision making depends on how the president defines it.

Factors Limiting the Cabinet’s Role � The president’s use of the cabinet is often limited for the following reasons: ◦ A. Cabinet members answer to more than one person, such as career officials in their own departments, members of Congress, and special interest groups. ◦ B. Disagreements often occur among secretaries. ◦ C. Keeping secrets is difficult when 15 department heads are involved in a discussion. ◦ D. Trust. Presidents often do not know their cabinet members well.