Cabinet of the United States of America

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For the profiles of the cabinet members, see the category for the Cabinet of the United States

The Cabinet of the United States is composed of the most senior appointed officers of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States, who are generally the heads of the federal executive departments. The existence of the Cabinet dates back to the first President of the United States, George Washington, who appointed a Cabinet of four men: Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson; Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton; Secretary of War Henry Knox; and Attorney General Edmund Randolph to advise him and to assist him in carrying out his duties.

All Cabinet members are nominated by the President and then presented to the Senate for confirmation or rejection by a simple majority.

US Department of State/Secretary of State - Dept established on July 27, 1789 as the Department of Foreign Affairs, renamed in Sept of 1789. Cabinet level 1789-current..

US Department of the Treasury/Secretary of the Treasury - Dept established 1789. Cabinet level 1789-current.

US Department of War/Secretary of War - Dept established 1789. Split in 1947 as Dept of the Army and Dept of the Air Force. Both of which, along with the Dept of the Navy were consolidated under the Dept of Defense in 1949. Cabinet level 1789-1947.

US Department of Justice/Attorney General - Office of Attorney General established 1789, Dept of Justice established 1870. Cabinet Level 1789-current.

US Post Office Department/Postmaster General - Dept established 1792, reorganized as quasi-independent agency of USPS in 1971. Cabinet level ex-officio 1829-1872, official from 1872-1971.

US Department of the Navy/Secretary of the Navy - Dept established 1798. Made a component of the Dept of Defense in 1949. Cabinet level 1798-1947.

US Department of the Interior/Secretary of the Interior - Dept established 1849. Cabinet Level 1849-current.

US Department of Agriculture/Secretary of Agriculture - Dept established 1862. Cabinet Level 1889-current.

US Department of Commerce and Labor/Secretary of Commerce and Labor - Dept established 1903. Split into Dept of Commerce and Dept of Labor in 1913. Cabinet Level 1903-1913.

US Department of Commerce/Secretary of Commerce - Dept established 1913. Cabinet Level 1913-current.

US Department of Labor/Secretary of Labor - Dept established 1913. Cabinet Level 1913-current.

US Department of Defense/Secretary of Defense - Dept established 1949, consolidating the Departments of the Navy, Army and Air Force. Cabinet level 1949-current,

US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare/Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare - Dept established 1953, renamed Dept of Health and Human Services in 1979. Cabinet level 1953-1979.

US Department of Health and Human Services/Secretary of Health and Human Services - Renamed from US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare when Dept of Education established in 1979. Cabinet level 1979-current.

US Department of Housing and Urban Development/Secretary of Housing and Urban Development - Dept established 1965. Cabinet level 1966-current.

US Secretary of Transportation/Secretary of Transportation - Dept established 1966. Cabinet Level 1966-current.

US Department of Energy/Secretary of Energy - Dept established 1977. Cabinet level 1977-current.

US Department of Education/Secretary of Education - Dept established 1979. Cabinet level 1979-current.

US Department of Veterans Affairs/Secretary of Veteran Affairs - Dept established 1988 as successor to the Veterans Administration, Cabinet level 1988-current.

US Department of Homeland Security/Secretary of Homeland Security - Dept established in 2002, Cabinet level 2002-current.