United States Government: Cabinet

The Cabinet is also often called the President's cabinet because this is basically a body of people with various expertise that advise the president on matters related to specific departments. This is why the cabinet members are also called department heads. The members of the cabinet are considered to be the most trusted people of the President and the cabinet meets weekly to discuss the important aspects.

The Constitution does not mention the word “cabinet” explicitly, but there is some mention of an advisory body for the president in Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution. While there is no mention of the specific departments that should be created or the number of people that should advise the President. The constitution does state that the President "may require the opinion, in writing of the principle officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices."

The Cabinet today includes the Vice President and 15 executives or department heads including Secretaries of Agriculture, Homeland Security, Defense, Interior, Commerce, Energy, Education, Treasury, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, State, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs, and the Attorney General.

Some other executives that have been given the level of a cabinet member include the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of the National Drug Control Policy, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security.

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United States Government: Cabinet

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