Federal law lists 15 executive departments that make up the President’s Cabinet, and together they form the operational core of the US government. Each one was created by an act of Congress, is led by a Secretary (or, at the Department of Justice, the Attorney General) confirmed by the Senate, and carries out a distinct set of statutory duties. This US cabinet departments list walks through all 15 in the order they were created, with what each department actually does.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 101 – Executive Departments
How the Cabinet Fits Together
A cabinet department exists because Congress passed a statute creating it and defining its mission. The President nominates the Secretary, and the Senate must confirm that nominee before they take office. The Constitution’s Appointments Clause sets this process for all principal officers of the United States.2Library of Congress. Overview of Appointments Clause
The Cabinet itself is an advisory body with no independent legal power. Its role is to counsel the President on issues within each department’s area of responsibility. Beneath each Secretary sits a workforce of career civil servants who do the technical and administrative work.
Department of State
State is the oldest executive department. It handles foreign relations, negotiates treaties, runs US embassies and consulates around the world, issues passports, and provides services to Americans traveling or living abroad.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 22 USC 2651 – Establishment of Department The Secretary of State is typically the President’s chief foreign policy advisor.
Department of the Treasury
Treasury manages the federal government’s money. It collects taxes through the Internal Revenue Service, borrows to cover budget shortfalls, and advises the President on economic policy.4Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 31 USC 301 – Department of the Treasury Its bureaus account for roughly 98% of the workforce and include the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (currency), the US Mint (coins), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (national bank supervision), and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (tracking illicit money).5U.S. Department of the Treasury. Bureaus
Department of Defense
Defense provides the organizational structure for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Space Force. It is the country’s largest employer, with more than 2 million active-duty service members plus hundreds of thousands of civilian workers.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 US Code 113 – Secretary of Defense The modern department traces to the National Security Act of 1947, which merged the old Departments of War and the Navy into a single structure. The Secretary of Defense is the President’s principal military advisor.
Department of Justice
Justice enforces federal law and represents the United States in court. It is led by the Attorney General, the government’s chief legal officer.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 501 – Executive Department Its major law enforcement components include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (criminal and national security investigations), the Drug Enforcement Administration (controlled substances), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.8United States Department of Justice. Agencies It also runs federal prisons and argues the government’s cases before the Supreme Court.
Department of the Interior
Interior manages more than 400 million acres of federal land, including national parks, wildlife refuges, and public rangelands. It balances conservation with energy production on those lands and oversees the federal government’s relationship with tribal nations.9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 43 US Code 1451 – Establishment Its agencies include the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Department of Agriculture
The USDA runs programs spanning crop insurance, meat and poultry inspection, rural development, and human nutrition.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 7 US Code 2201 – Establishment of Department It administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), inspects meat, poultry, and egg products to prevent foodborne illness, gives technical assistance to farmers, and funds rural infrastructure such as broadband.
Department of Commerce
Commerce promotes economic growth, gathers key national data, and protects intellectual property. It runs the US Census Bureau, which conducts the decennial census and ongoing demographic surveys. The Patent and Trademark Office reviews and grants patents and trademarks.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 US Code 1501 – Establishment of Department Through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, it monitors weather, manages fisheries, and oversees coastal and marine resources.
Department of Labor
Labor’s statutory mission is to promote the welfare of wage earners, improve working conditions, and expand job opportunities.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 29 US Code 551 – Establishment of Department It enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act, which sets the federal minimum wage (currently $7.25 per hour) and overtime rules. It tracks unemployment and labor market data and runs job training programs.
Department of Health and Human Services
HHS is the federal government’s principal health agency. It administers Medicare (for seniors and people with certain disabilities) and Medicaid (for low-income individuals), which together serve roughly 140 million people. Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program alone enrolled about 75 million people as of January 2026.13Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 3501 – Establishment of Department14Medicaid.gov. February 2026 Medicaid and CHIP Enrollment Data Highlights
HHS houses more than a dozen operating divisions, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It also runs child welfare, substance abuse, and senior services programs.15HHS.gov. HHS Organizational Charts
Department of Housing and Urban Development
HUD focuses on affordable housing and community development. It manages federal rental assistance (including Section 8 vouchers), enforces fair housing laws against discrimination in sales and rentals, and sends grants to local governments for neighborhood projects.16Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 US Code 3532 – Establishment of Department It also oversees Federal Housing Administration mortgage insurance programs that help buyers with lower down payments.
Department of Transportation
Transportation coordinates the safety and efficiency of the nation’s air, road, rail, and maritime systems. It sets vehicle safety standards, funds public transit, manages the federal highway system, and regulates commercial aviation through the Federal Aviation Administration.17Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 102 – Department of Transportation It distributes billions of dollars in infrastructure grants each year.
Department of Energy
Energy oversees national energy policy, the nuclear weapons stockpile, and a large scientific research enterprise.18Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 US Code 7131 – Establishment It funds renewable energy research, works on grid modernization, and manages radioactive waste disposal. Its 17 national laboratories support physics, chemistry, computing, and environmental science research that reaches well beyond energy production.
Department of Education
Education administers federal student financial aid programs and enforces civil rights laws in schools that receive federal funds.19Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 20 USC 3411 – Establishment of Department When a school violates civil rights requirements, the department can cut off funding, but only for the specific program where the violation occurred, and only after first attempting a voluntary resolution.20Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 20 USC 1682 – Federal Administrative Enforcement It also collects national data on school performance.
Department of Veterans Affairs
The VA exists to administer benefits and services for military veterans and their families.21Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 38 USC 301 – Department It operates one of the largest healthcare systems in the country, with thousands of clinics and hospitals specializing in service-connected conditions. Beyond healthcare, it manages disability compensation, pensions, home loan guarantees, and educational benefits like the GI Bill. The VA was elevated from an independent agency to a cabinet department in 1988.
Department of Homeland Security
DHS is the newest cabinet department, created in 2002 after the September 11 attacks to consolidate domestic security functions that had been spread across dozens of agencies. Its statutory mission covers preventing terrorist attacks, reducing vulnerability to terrorism, and coordinating responses to natural disasters and other emergencies.22Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 6 USC 111 – Executive Department; Mission
Its operational components cover a wide range of work. Customs and Border Protection handles border security and trade enforcement. Immigration and Customs Enforcement carries out interior immigration enforcement. The Transportation Security Administration screens airport travelers. The Federal Emergency Management Agency coordinates disaster response. The Coast Guard patrols maritime borders. The Secret Service protects national leaders and investigates financial crimes. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency defends critical infrastructure against cyber threats.
One boundary worth knowing: DHS does not have primary responsibility for investigating and prosecuting terrorism. That authority stays with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies. DHS focuses on prevention, border security, and emergency preparedness.23Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 6 USC 111 – Executive Department; Mission
Why the Order Matters
The order in which the departments were created is not just historical trivia. Cabinet secretaries sit in the presidential line of succession in that same order, starting with the Secretary of State and ending with the Secretary of Homeland Security. If both the President and Vice President are unable to serve, and the Speaker of the House and Senate President pro tempore are also unavailable, the presidency passes through the Cabinet in creation order.24Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 3 USC 19 – Vacancy in Offices of Both President and Vice President
Getting Information From a Department
Every executive department is subject to the Freedom of Information Act. Anyone can request records, and the department has 20 business days to decide whether to release them and notify the requester. A denial can be appealed, and the department gets another 20 business days to respond to that appeal.25Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 552 – Public Information; Agency Rules, Opinions, Orders Complex requests routinely take longer in practice, but the statutory clock gives requesters leverage.
Each department also has an Office of Inspector General, an independent watchdog that audits operations, investigates waste and fraud, and reports to both the department head and Congress.26Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC Ch. 4 – Inspectors General These offices have their own investigative staff, can issue subpoenas, and publish their reports. For anyone trying to hold a department accountable, an IG’s published reports are often the best starting point.