The President's Cabinet

*Currently the President has 15 top-level advisors to aid him in his duties and to help him make important decisions. This group of advisors, along with the Vice-President is called the cabinet. The President’s cabinet is as follows:

-Secretary of State: Advises the President in the formulation and execution of foreign policy, negotiates treaties and agreements with foreign nations; speaks for the United States in the United Nations and other international organizations in which the United States participates. The Secretary of State is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and supervision of U.S. foreign relations and for the interdepartmental activities of the U.S. Government abroad. The Secretary is the first-ranking member of the Cabinet, is a member of the National Security Council, and is in charge of the operations of the Department, including the Foreign Service. Currently the Secretary of State is Condaleeza Rice.

-Secretary of the Treasury: The Department of the Treasury performs four basic functions: formulating and recommending economic, financial, tax, and fiscal policies; serving as financial agent for the U.S. Government; enforcing law; and manufacturing coins and currency. As a major policy adviser to the President, the Secretary of the Treasury has primary responsibility for formulating and recommending domestic and international financial, economic, and tax policy, and managing the public debt. The Secretary also oversees the activities of the Department in carrying out its major law enforcement responsibility; in serving as the financial agent for the U.S. Government; and in manufacturing coins, currency, and other products for customer agencies. The Secretary also serves as the Government's chief financial officer. The Secretary of the Treasury is currently Henry Paulson Jr..

-Secretary of Defense: Exercises authority, direction, and control over the Department of Defense, which includes the separately organized military departments of Army, Navy, and Air Force, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the National Guard. The Department of Defense is responsible for providing the military forces needed to deter war and protect the security of our country. The nominee to be the new Secretary of Defense is Robert Gates.
-Attorney General: Generally directs the affairs and activities of the Department of Justice. The Attorney General represents the United States in legal matters generally and gives advice and opinions to the President and to the heads of the executive departments of the Government when so requested. The Attorney General appears in person to represent the Government before the U.S. Supreme Court in cases of exceptional gravity or importance. The Department of Justice plays the key role in protection against criminals, in ensuring healthy competition of business in our free enterprise system, in safeguarding the consumer, and in enforcing drug, immigration, and naturalization laws. The Attorney General is Alberto Gonzalez.

-Secretary of the Interior: Reports directly to the President and is responsible for the direction and supervision of all operations and activities of the Department of the Interior. The Department of the Interior’s mission is to protect and provide access to our Nation's natural and cultural heritage and to honor our trust responsibilities to Native American Indian tribes. The Department manages the Nation's public lands and minerals, national parks, national wildlife refuges, and western water resources and upholds Federal trust responsibilities to Indian tribes. It is responsible for historic preservation, ensuring the safety of endangered species, mapping the land, and geological, hydrological, and biological science. The Secretary of the Interior is Dirk Kepthorne.
-Secretary of Agriculture: Reports directly to the President and is responsible for the direction and supervision of all operations and activities of the Department. The Department of Agriculture works to improve and maintain farm income and to develop and expand markets abroad for agricultural products. The Department of Agriculture, through inspection and grading services, safeguards and ensures standards of quality in the daily food supply. The Secretary of Agriculture is Mike Johanns.
-Secretary of Commerce: Responsible for the administration of all functions and authorities assigned to the Department of Commerce and for advising the President on Federal policy and programs affecting the industrial and commercial segments of the national economy. The Department of Commerce encourages, serves, and promotes the Nation's international trade, economic growth, and technological advancement. The Department provides a wide variety of programs through the free enterprise system. It offers assistance and information to increase America's competitiveness in the world economy, administers programs to prevent unfair foreign trade competition, grants patents, registers trademarks, provides assistance to promote domestic economic development, and assists in the growth of minority businesses. The Secretary of Commerce is Carlos Gutierezz.


- Secretary of Labor : The principal adviser to the President on the development and execution of policies and the administration and enforcement of laws relating to wage earners, their working conditions, and their employment opportunities. The purpose of the Department of Labor is to promote, and develop the welfare of the American labor force, to improve their working conditions, and to advance their opportunities for employment. The Department administers a variety of Federal labor laws guaranteeing workers' rights to safe and healthful working conditions, a minimum hourly wage and overtime pay, freedom from employment discrimination, unemployment insurance, and workers' compensation. The department also protects workers' pension rights, provides for job training programs, helps workers find jobs, and works to insure the right to organize unions. The Secretary of Labor is Elaine Chao.

- Secretary of Health and Human Services: Advises the President on health, and welfare, The Department of Health and Human Services is the Cabinet-level department of the Federal executive branch most involved with the Nation's human concerns. In one way or another, it touches the lives of more Americans than any other Federal agency. It is literally a department of people serving people, from newborn infants to persons requiring health services to our most elderly citizens. The Center for Disease Control is one important faction of this department. The Secretary of Health and Human Services is Michael Leavitt.

-Department of Housing and Urban Development: The principal Federal agency responsible for programs concerned with the Nation's housing needs, and fair housing opportunities. The Department of Housing and Urban Development was created to: administer the principal programs that provide assistance for housing and for the development of communities, encourage the solution of housing and community development problems through States and localities; and encourage the maximum contributions that may be made by vigorous private homebuilding and mortgage lending industries. The Secretary of HUD is Alphonso Jackson.

-Secretary of Transportation: The principal adviser to the President in all matters relating to Federal transportation programs. The U.S. Department of Transportation establishes the Nation's overall transportation policy. Under its umbrella there are 10 administrations whose jurisdictions include highway planning, development, and construction; urban mass transit; railroads; aviation; and the safety of waterways, ports, highways, and oil and gas pipelines. The Secretary of Transportation is Mary Peters.
-Secretary of Energy: Decides major energy policy and planning issues; acts as the principal spokesperson for the Department of Energy, and ensures the effective communication and working relationships with Federal, State, local, and tribal governments and the public. The Secretary is the principal adviser to the President on energy policies, plans, and programs. The Secretary of the Energy is Samuel Bodman.
-Secretary of Education: Advises the President on education plans, policies, and programs of the Federal Government and serves as the chief executive officer of the Department of Education. He coordinates and oversees all Department activities, provides support and encouragement to States and localities on matters related to education, and focuses the resources of the Department and the attention of the country on ensuring equal access to education by promoting educational excellence throughout the Nation. The Secretary of Education is Margaret Spellings.

-Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Reports directly to the President and is responsible for the direction and supervision of all operations and activities of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. The Department of Veterans Affairs operates programs to benefit veterans and members of their families. Benefits include compensation payments for disabilities or death related to military service; pensions; education and rehabilitation; home loan guaranty; burial; and a medical care program incorporating nursing homes, clinics, and medical centers. The Department is comprised of three organizations that administer veterans programs: the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration, and the National Cemetery Administration. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs is Jim Nicholson.
-Secretary of Homeland Security: Works to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States, reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage from potential attacks and natural disasters. The Secretary of Homeland Security is Michael Chertoff.