Eleanor Finch
The Cabinet is a body of advisers to a head of state, and its members also serve as the heads of government departments. The US Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments. These departments include Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney General. The Cabinet's role is to advise the President on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of departments | 15 |
| Departments | State, Treasury, Defense, Attorney General, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security |
| Role | To advise the President on any subject he may require relating to the duties of each member's respective office |
| Department heads | Appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate |
| Department heads | Acting department heads also participate in Cabinet meetings whether or not they have been officially nominated for Senate confirmation |
| Department heads | Can be dismissed by the President at any time without Senate approval |
| Department heads | Must be federal officials other than immediate family members of the President |
| Department heads | Must not simultaneously serve in Congress |
| Department heads | Must resign from Congress before assuming their new positions |
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What You'll Learn
The US Cabinet's role is to advise the President
The Cabinet includes the heads of 15 executive departments, including the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs. The Attorney General is also a member of the Cabinet.
The heads of the executive departments are nominated by the President and then presented to the Senate for confirmation or rejection by a simple majority. These Cabinet secretaries have full administrative control over their respective departments. The Cabinet also includes key White House staff and other agency heads. For example, the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency have been given Cabinet rank at various times.
The specific duties and activities of the Cabinet members vary depending on their respective departments and the priorities of the administration. For instance, members of President Joe Biden's Cabinet have travelled to other countries, worked on veteran affairs, and focused on rural development and women entrepreneurs.
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The Cabinet consists of 15 department heads
The Cabinet is a body of advisers to a head of state, who also serve as the heads of government departments. The US Cabinet, as established in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments. These 15 departments are: Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs. The Attorney General is also included in the Cabinet.
The Cabinet's role is to advise the President on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office. The President may also give wide latitude to department heads, although it is uncommon for a Cabinet member to exercise certain powers over their department against the President's wishes due to the threat of dismissal. The President can dismiss members of the Cabinet at any time without the approval of the Senate.
The Cabinet does much of its work through committees headed by individual ministers, and its overall functioning is coordinated by the Secretariat, which consists of career civil servants. The Cabinet usually meets in the prime minister's official residence. Cabinet ministers are responsible for their departments, but the Cabinet as a whole is accountable to Parliament for its actions. Its members must be willing to publicly defend the Cabinet's policies.
In Great Britain, the Cabinet consists of 15 to 25 members, or ministers, appointed by the Prime Minister.
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The President can dismiss any member at any time
The Cabinet is a body of advisers to the head of state, who also serve as the heads of government departments. The Cabinet's role is to advise the President on any subject he may require relating to the duties of each member's respective office. The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments, including the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, as well as the Attorney General. The President may also designate additional positions as members of the Cabinet, which can vary under each President.
The President has the power to dismiss any member of the Cabinet at any time, without the approval of the Senate. This is because Cabinet members are political appointees, serving at the pleasure of the President. The President has the authority to organize the Cabinet, such as by instituting committees, and Cabinet appointments are typically for the duration of the administration. While the Cabinet does not have any collective executive powers or functions, and no votes need to be taken, the Cabinet is an important element of government, and the President is free to use it as he or she sees fit.
The Cabinet's work is coordinated by the Secretariat, which consists of career civil servants. Cabinet ministers are responsible for their departments, and the Cabinet as a whole is accountable to Parliament for its actions. Cabinet members can disagree within the secrecy of Cabinet meetings, but once a decision is reached, all members are obligated to support the Cabinet's policies publicly. The Cabinet is subject to the threat of collective resignation if a vote of confidence is lost or a major legislative bill is defeated in the Commons.
The President may give wide latitude to department heads, and it is legally possible for a Cabinet member to exercise certain powers over their department against the President's wishes. However, this is highly unusual due to the threat of dismissal. Cabinet members, like all federal public officials, are also subject to impeachment by the House of Representatives and trial in the Senate for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors."
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The Vice President is a permanent member
The Cabinet is a body of advisers to a head of state who also serve as the heads of government departments. The Cabinet's role is to advise the President on any subject he may require relating to the duties of each member's respective office. The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments. The Vice President is a permanent member of the Cabinet and is elected, not appointed, serving in the Cabinet by statute. The Twenty-fifth Amendment authorizes the Vice President, together with a majority of the heads of the executive departments, to declare the president "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office". The highest-ranking Cabinet member, after the Vice President, is the Secretary of State, who is fourth in line of succession to the President. The Vice President's role in the Cabinet is significant, as they are second only to the Secretary of State in the order of succession and play a crucial role in advising the President. The Vice President's presence in the Cabinet ensures that they are actively involved in the decision-making process and have a direct influence on the policies and actions of the administration.
The 15 executive departments of the Cabinet include:
- Department of State
- Department of the Treasury
- Department of Defense
- Department of Justice
- Department of the Interior
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Commerce
- Department of Labor
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Housing and Urban Development
- Department of Transportation
- Department of Energy
- Department of Education
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Department of Homeland Security
These departments are led by secretaries who are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Cabinet also includes other key members, such as the White House Chief of Staff and the Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, who hold Cabinet-rank positions. The specific members and structure of the Cabinet can vary under each President, as they have the authority to organize it and designate additional positions.
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The Secretary of State is the highest-ranking Cabinet member
The Cabinet of the United States is the principal official advisory body to the President. It is established in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, and its role is to advise the President on any subject relating to the duties of each member's respective office. The Cabinet includes the Vice President and the heads of 15 executive departments, including the Secretary of State.
Historically, the Secretary of State has been a crucial position, with six past secretaries going on to be elected President. The role was created in 1789, with Thomas Jefferson as the first office holder. The Secretary of State is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule, earning a salary of $250,600 as of January 2025.
The Secretary of State is responsible for conducting negotiations, interpreting, and terminating treaties relating to foreign policy. They also represent the United States in international conferences, organizations, and agencies. The Secretary communicates issues related to foreign policy to Congress and citizens and advises the President on the appointment and dismissal of diplomats and ambassadors.
In addition to their foreign affairs duties, the Secretary of State has some domestic responsibilities, including the storage and use of the Great Seal, performance of protocol functions for the White House, and the drafting of certain proclamations. The Secretary also negotiates with individual states over the extradition of fugitives to foreign countries.
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