Executive Departments Cabinet Departments 15 Departments First cabinet

Executive Departments

Cabinet Departments 15 Departments First cabinet had three department secretaries, State, Treasury, and War – Also the Attorney General Each department specializes in a certain aspect of the federal government Each department has a secretary that heads or runs it The only exception is the Attorney General who heads the Department of Justice

Subunits Each department has specialized subunits that answer to the head of that department Example: Department of Justice • Terrorism and Violent Crime Section • Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section Most departments have offices in areas other than Washington DC Example: Veterans Health Administration 173 medical centers and over 300 outpatient clinics

The President’s Cabinet Advisory body Not mentioned in the Constitution It has evolved through custom and tradition Vice President usually is a part of the cabinet meetings

How are Cabinet Member Chosen? The President nominates a candidate The Senate holds hearings and questions the candidate They can reject or approve the candidate With Senate approval the candidate is sworn in and becomes the Secretary or Attorney General

What does the President look for? Same political party Party loyalty Professional qualifications and practical experience Chooses from different regions to balance out the cabinet Gender and race – increasingly appoint a varied cabinet Management ability and experience

Women and Minorities in the Cabinet FDR appointed the first women – Frances Perkins as Secretary of Labor Lyndon Johnson appointed the first African American – Robert Weaver –HUD Gerald Ford – first combination: Carla Hills (HUD) and African American, William Coleman (Sec. of Transportation) Jimmy Carter – first African American woman – Patricia Harris – HUD and later Health and Human Services

Ronald Reagan: First Hispanic Lauro Cavazos – Sec. of Education William Clinton: over 8 years in office: Five women, six African Americans, four Hispanics, and the first Asian American – Norman Mineta – Sec. of Commerce George W. Bush: over 8 years in office Four African Americans, six women including the first Chinese American, Elaine Chao (Sec. of Labor), two Hispanics, and retained a Democrat Norman Mineta as Secretary of Transportation

What does the Cabinet do? Administers their departments Advises the President Some Presidents have relied on their cabinets: George H. W. Bush William Jefferson Clinton Some Presidents have barely used their cabinets: JFK said meeting with his cabinet was a waste of time Andrew Jackson had his group of informal advisors called the “Kitchen Cabinet” FDR’s Brain Trust was a group apart from his cabinet

President Obama’s Cabinet Department of State Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton Department of the Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner Department of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates Department of Justice Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr Department of the Interior Secretary Kenneth L. Salazar Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack Department of Commerce Secretary Gary F. Locke Department of Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis Department of Health and Human Services Secretary-designate: Kathleen Sebelius Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun L. S. Donovan Department of Transportation Secretary Raymond L. La. Hood Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet A. Napolitano

Executive Office of the President Created in 1939 Members assist and advise the President

White House Office Press Secretary – Robert Gibbs releases official news in the President’s behalf Chief of Staff – Rahm Emanuel – Directs the operations of the White House and controls who sees the President National Security Advisor – General James Jones (ret. US Marine Corps) – Advises the President in any matter dealing with foreign or domestic issues. White House Counsel – Gregory B. Craig - advises the President on all legal issues concerning the President and the White House.

Other Agencies National Security Council – advises on domestic, foreign, and military matters Office of Homeland Security - keeps the POTUS informed of any threats/terrorism Office of Management and Budget – Prepares the federal budget for the fiscal year (10/1 – 9/30) and oversees the spending