A: The tradition of the
Cabinet dates back to the
beginnings of the Presidency
itself. One of the principal purposes of the Cabinet (drawn from Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution) is to
advise the President
on any subject he may require relating to the duties of their respective offices.
The Cabinet includes the Vice President and, by law, the heads of 15 executive departments-the Secretaries of
Agriculture,
Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development,
Interior,
Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, and the Attorney General. Under President George W.
Bush,
Cabinet-level rank also has been accorded to the Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency; Director, Office
of Management
and Budget; the Director, National Drug Control Policy; and the U.S. Trade Representative.
For more information and links to biographies of President Bush.s Cabinet, click here.
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