Presidential Cabinet:The Executive Departments

Presidential Cabinet:The Executive Departments

The President’s Cabinet: Important The President’s Cabinet: Important FactsFacts

The President’s Cabinet: Important The President’s Cabinet: Important FactsFacts

There are 15 cabinet

departmentstoday

Only Congresscan create executive

departments

Cabinet not specifically included in constitution

Cabinet based upon tradition and secretaries

serve at the pleasure of the

President

Cabinet secretaries advise the President

Secretaries appointed by President &

confirmed by the Senate

Washington established a precedent by forming the first cabinet.

President George

Washington

Washington’s First CabinetWashington’s First Cabinet

Secretary of War

Henry Knox

Secretary of TreasuryAlexander Hamilton

Secretary of StateThomas

Jefferson

Attorney General Edmund

Randolph

The Role of the Cabinet in the Modern Era

The Role of the Cabinet in the Modern Era

•Advisory group to the President

•Cabinet secretaries head the fifteen executive departments

•Help President

execute laws and

assist in decision-

making

President Obama holds a full cabinet meeting.

Article II: The Executive and appointment powers

of the President

...he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive

Departments, upon any subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices

Article II: The Executive and appointment powers

of the President

...he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate,

shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls... and all other Officers of the United States....

The Constitution and The Constitution and Presidential AppointmentsPresidential Appointments

1)Identify the Constitutional requirements for appointing federal government officials.

2) How do these requirements promote checks and balances between the three branches of the federal government?

What are the Executive Departments? What are the Executive Departments?

1. Agriculture2. Commerce3. Defense4. Education5. Energy6. Health and Human

Services7. Homeland Security8. Housing and Urban

Development9. Interior10.Labor

11.State12.Transportation13.Treasury, 14.Veterans

Affairs15.Justice

Artist: John Cole, Scranton, PA, The TimesDate: 3/4/09 Source: http://www.cagle.com