Presidential Cabinet

Presidential Cabinet

Some Information about the Cabinet...

•  Role is to advise the President on any subject he or she may require relating to the duties of each member’s respective office

• The president's Cabinet includes the Vice President of the United States and the heads of the 15 executive departments

Why a "Cabinet"?

• The term "cabinet" comes from the Italian word "cabinetto," meaning "a small, private room." A good place to discuss important business without being interrupted. The first use of the term is attributed to James Madison, who described the meetings as “the president’s cabinet.”

• President George Washington convened the first cabinet meeting on February 25, 1793. Present at the meeting were President Washington, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary or War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph.

How are Cabinet Members Chosen?

• The Cabinet secretaries are appointed by the president of the United States but must be approved by a simple majority vote of the Senate. The only qualification is that a department secretary cannot be a current member of Congress or hold any other elected office.

• Cabinet-level officers are currently paid $210,700 per year. Their pay is set annual by Congress as part of its approval of the federal budget.

How long do Cabinet Members Serve?

• Members of the Cabinet (except for the Vice President) serve at the pleasure of the president, who can dismiss them at will for no cause. All federal public officials, including Cabinet members, are also subject to impeachment by the House of Representatives and trial in the Senate for "treason, bribery, and other high crimes and misdemeanors".

• Generally, Cabinet members serve as long as the president who appointed them remains in office. Executive department secretaries answer only to the president and only the president can fire them. They are expected to resign when a new president takes office since most incoming presidents choose to replace them, anyway. 

How Often do Cabinet Members Meet?

• There is no official schedule for Cabinet meetings, but presidents generally try to meet with their Cabinets on a weekly basis.

• Besides the president and department secretaries, Cabinet meetings are usually attended by the vice president, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and other top-level officials as determined by the president.

Multiple Choice

"The President met regularly with his departments and sought their advice on policy matters. The newspapers of the time called this group Washington's cabinet." What does the term "cabinet" mean?

• State-Elected Government Officials

• Presidential-Appointed Advisors

• Senate-Elected Representatives

• House-Approved Governors

Fill in the Blanks

How many executive departments does the Executive Branch have?

(Not including the Vice President)

Multiple Choice

What body confirms or approves the President's nominees?

• House of Representatives

• US Supreme Court

• Senate

• State Legislatures

Multiple Choice

True or False... A Cabinet member CAN be a member of another governing body.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The first four cabinet departments that were created by Congress after Washington became President were Secretary of ...

• War, State, Treasury, and Attorney General

• Housing and Urban Development, War, Education, and State

• Education, State, Treasury, and Attorney General

• State, War, Attorney General, and Education

Multiple Choice

Who was Washington's Treasurer?

• Thomas Jefferson

• Alexander Hamilton

• John Jay

• John Adams

Multiple Choice

What is the salary of a Cabinet member?

• $174,000

• $190,000

• $210,000

• $500,000

Multiple Choice

True or False... A Cabinet Member CAN be impeached for the same reasons as a President.

• True

• False

Secretary of State

Maintains relationships with other countries and protects American citizens while they are in other countries

Secretary of Treasury

Collect taxes, borrows money, pays bills, and prints money

Secretary of Defense

Maintains the country's defense and provides military training for the Army, Navy, and Air Force

Attorney General - Department of Justice

The attorney general is the chief lawyer of the federal government of the United States.

Makes sure federal laws are carried out

Secretary of the Interior

Oversees the country's natural resources

Secretary of Agriculture

Oversees farmers to be sure food production meets demands

Secretary of Commerce

Oversees business and trade within the United States and foreign countries

Secretary of Labor

Provides services for American workers and establishes safety standards for work places

Secretary of Health and Human Services

Handles programs to promote health and social services needs to American citizens

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Handles problems of cities related to housing, conservation, and air pollution

Secretary of Transportation

Oversees the nation's system of highways, railroads, air travel, and waterways

Secretary of Energy

Finds and protects sources of energy

Secretary of Education

Oversees the country's schools

Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Provides services to veterans of American wars and maintains national cemeteries and veterans hospitals

Secretary of Homeland Security

Works together with many government agencies to make the country more secure