View source for Federal executive departments

{{Short description|Primary unit of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States}}
{{Redirect|Executive Department|text=For the idea of executive departments in general, see [[Cabinet (government)]].}}

The '''United States federal executive departments''' are the principal units of the [[Federal government of the United States#Executive branch|executive branch]] of the [[federal government of the United States]]. They are analogous to [[ministry (government department)|ministries]] common in [[parliamentary system|parliamentary]] or [[semi-presidential republic|semi-presidential]] systems but (the United States being a [[presidential system]]) they are led by a [[head of government]] who is also the [[head of state]]. The executive departments are the administrative arms of the [[president of the United States]]. There are currently 15 executive departments.

==Overview==
===Structure===
Each department is headed by a [[secretary (title)|secretary]] whose title echoes the title of their respective department, with the exception of the [[United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice]], whose head is known as the [[United States Attorney General|attorney general]]. The heads of the executive departments are appointed by the president and take office after [[Appointments Clause|confirmation]] by the [[United States Senate]], and serve [[Powers of the president of the United States|at the pleasure of the president]]. The heads of departments are members of the [[Cabinet of the United States]], an executive organ that normally acts as an advisory body to the president. In the [[Opinion Clause]] (Article II, section 2, clause 1) of the [[Constitution of the United States|U.S. Constitution]], heads of executive departments are referred to as "principal Officer in each of the executive Departments".

The heads of executive departments are included in the [[United States presidential line of succession|line of succession]] to the president, in the event of a vacancy in the presidency, after the [[Vice President of the United States|vice president]], the [[speaker of the United States House of Representatives|speaker of the House]], and the [[president pro tempore of the United States Senate|president pro tempore of the Senate]]. They are included in order of their respective department's formation, with the exception of the Secretary of Defense, whose position in the line of succession is based on when the Department of War was formed.

===Separation of powers===
To enforce a strong [[Separation of powers under the United States Constitution|separation of powers]], the federal Constitution's [[Ineligibility Clause]] expressly prohibits executive branch employees (including heads of executive departments) from simultaneously serving in [[United States Congress|Congress]], and vice versa. Accordingly, in sharp contrast to virtually all other Western democracies (parliamentary systems) where [[Minister (government)|ministers]] are selected to form a government from [[Member of parliament|members of parliament]],<ref name="Wexler_Page_17">{{cite book |last1=Wexler |first1=Jay |authorlink1=Jay Wexler |title=The Odd Clauses: Understanding the Constitution Through Ten of Its Most Curious Provisions |date=2011 |publisher=Beacon Press |location=Boston |isbn=9780807000892 |page=17 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=279vDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA17 |access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref> U.S. legislators who are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate to serve as heads of executive departments must resign from Congress before assuming their new positions.<ref name="Wexler_Page_11">{{cite book |last1=Wexler |first1=Jay |authorlink1=Jay Wexler |title=The Odd Clauses: Understanding the Constitution Through Ten of Its Most Curious Provisions |date=2011 |publisher=Beacon Press |location=Boston |isbn=9780807000892 |page=11 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=279vDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA11 |access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref> If the emoluments for a new appointee's executive branch position were increased while the appointee was previously serving in Congress (e.g., [[cost of living]] adjustments), the president must implement a [[Saxbe fix]].<ref name="Wexler_Page_13">{{cite book |last1=Wexler |first1=Jay |authorlink1=Jay Wexler |title=The Odd Clauses: Understanding the Constitution Through Ten of Its Most Curious Provisions |date=2011 |publisher=Beacon Press |location=Boston |isbn=9780807000892 |page=13 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=279vDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA13 |access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref>

===Contracting and grantmaking roles===
As is evident from the chart below, several executive departments (Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Transportation) have disproportionately small employee headcounts in contrast to the size of their budgets. This is because many of their employees merely supervise contracts with private [[independent contractor]]s or [[Federal grants in the United States|grants]] (especially [[categorical grant]]s) to [[State governments of the United States|state]] or [[Local government in the United States|local government]] agencies who are primarily responsible for providing services directly to the general public. In the 20th century, when the federal government began to provide funding and supervision for matters which were historically seen as the domain of state governments (i.e., [[Education in the United States|education]], [[Healthcare in the United States|health]] and [[Social programs in the United States|welfare services]], [[Housing in the United States|housing]], and [[Transportation in the United States|transportation]]), Congress frequently authorized only funding for grants which were voluntary, in the sense that state or local government agencies could choose to apply for such grants (and accept conditions attached by Congress) or they could decline to apply.<ref name="CRS_R40638">{{cite book |title=Federal Grants to State and Local Governments: A Historical Perspective on Contemporary Issues |date=May 22, 2019 |publisher=Congressional Research Service |location=Washington |pages=15–26 |url=https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R40638.pdf |access-date=December 24, 2022}} CRS Report No. R40638.  Version 27.</ref> In the case of HHS's [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]] program, Congress chose to contract with private health insurers because they "already possessed the requisite expertise for administering complex [[Health insurance in the United States|health insurance]] programs", and because American hospitals preferred to continue dealing with private insurers instead of a new federal bureaucracy.<ref name="Kinney">{{cite book |last1=Kinney |first1=Eleanor D. |title=The Affordable Care Act and Medicare in Comparative Context |date=2015 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=New York |isbn=9781316352618 |page=25 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wudBCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA25 |access-date=December 24, 2022}}</ref>

==Current departments==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Department
! scope="col" rowspan="2" data-sort-type="date" | Seal
! scope="col" rowspan="2" data-sort-type="date" | Flag
! scope="col" rowspan="2" data-sort-type="date" | Formed
! scope="col" rowspan="2" data-sort-type="number" | Employees
! scope="col" rowspan="2" data-sort-type="currency" | Total budget
! scope="col" colspan="3" | Head
|-
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" colspan='2' | Titleholder
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of State|State]]
|[[File:U.S._Department_of_State_official_seal.svg|75px]]
|[[File:Flag_of_the_United_States_Department_of_State.svg|75px]]
| July 27, 1789
| data-sort-value=30000 | 30,000<br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| data-sort-value=58100000000 | $58.1 billion<ref>{{Cite web |title=Congressional Budget Justification - Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs. FISCAL YEAR 2024 |url=https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/FY-2024-CBJ-FINAL_4.26.2023.pdf}}</ref><br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]]
| {{sortname|Antony|Blinken}}
|
[[File:Secretary_Blinken's_Official_Department_Photo_(cropped)_2.jpg|100px]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of the Treasury|Treasury]]
|[[File:Seal_of_the_United_States_Department_of_the_Treasury.svg|75px]]
|[[File:Flag_of_the_United_States_Department_of_the_Treasury.png|75px]]
| September 2, 1789
| data-sort-value=100000 | 100,000<br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| data-sort-value=16400000000 | $16.4 billion<ref>{{Cite web |title=FY2024 Budget in Brief |url=https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/266/FY-2024-Budget-in-Brief.pdf |website=United States Treasury}}</ref><br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| [[United States Secretary of the Treasury|Secretary of the Treasury]]
| {{sortname|Janet|Yellen}}
|
[[File:Secretary_Janet_Yellen_portrait_(cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of the Interior|Interior]]
|[[File:Seal_of_the_United_States_Department_of_the_Interior.svg|75px]]
|[[File:Flag_of_the_United_States_Department_of_the_Interior.svg|75px]]
| March 3, 1849
| data-sort-value=70000 | 70,000<br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| data-sort-value=35000000000 | $35 billion<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fiscal Year 2024 The Interior Budget in Brief |url=https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/fy2024-bib-entire-book-508.pdf}}</ref><br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| [[United States Secretary of the Interior|Secretary of the Interior]]
| {{sortname|Deb|Haaland}}
|
[[File:Secretary Deb Haaland, official headshot.jpg|100px]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of Agriculture|Agriculture]]
|[[File:US_Department_of_Agriculture_seal.svg|75px]]
|[[File:Flag_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Agriculture.svg|75px]]
| May 15, 1862
| data-sort-value=100000 | 100,000<br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| data-sort-value=242000000000| $242 billion<ref>{{Cite web |title=United States Department of Agriculture - FY2024 Budget Summary |url=https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2024-usda-budget-summary.pdf}}</ref><br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| [[United States Secretary of Agriculture|Secretary of Agriculture]]
| {{sortname|Tom|Vilsack}}
|
[[File:20210427-OSEC-TEW-001 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack (51148817903) (cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of Justice|Justice]]
|[[File:Seal_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Justice.svg|75px]]
|[[File:Flag_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Justice.svg|75px]]
| July 1, 1870
| data-sort-value=113543 | 113,543<br/>{{small|(2012)}}
| data-sort-value=37500000000 | $37.5 billion<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FY 2024 BUDGET SUMMARY |url=https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-03/2-_fy_24_budget_summary_-_03.9.23_1245pm.pdf}}</ref><br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| [[United States Attorney General|Attorney General]]
| {{sortname|Merrick|Garland}}
|
[[File:Attorney_General_Merrick_Garland_(cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of Commerce|Commerce]]
|[[File:Seal_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Commerce.svg|75px]]
|[[File:Flag_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Commerce.svg|75px]]
| February 14, 1903
| data-sort-value=41000 | 41,000<br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| data-sort-value=16300000000 | $16.3 billion<ref>{{Cite web |title=Departmental Overview - Department of Commerce |url=https://www.commerce.gov/sites/default/files/2023-03/FY2024-BIB-Introduction.pdf}}</ref><br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| [[United States Secretary of Commerce|Secretary of Commerce]]
| {{sortname|Gina|Raimondo}}
|
[[File:Gina_Raimondo_(cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of Labor|Labor]]
|[[File:Seal_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Labor.svg|75px]]
|[[File:Flag_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Labor.svg|75px]]
| March 4, 1913
| data-sort-value=15000 | 15,000<br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| data-sort-value=97500000000 | $97.5 billion<ref>{{Cite web |title=FY 2024 - DEPARTMENT OF LABOR - BUDGET IN BRIEF |url=https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/general/budget/2024/FY2024BIB.pdf}}</ref><br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| [[United States Secretary of Labor|Secretary of Labor]]
| {{sortname|Julie|Su}}
|
[[File:Julie_Su_Portrait_(cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of Defense|Defense]]
|[[File:US_Department_of_Defense_seal.svg|75px]]
|
| {{nowrap|September 18, 1947}}
| data-sort-value=3200000 | 3,200,000<br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| data-sort-value=852000000000 | $852 billion<ref>{{Cite web |title=Defense Budget Overview - FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET REQUEST |url=https://comptroller.defense.gov/Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/FY2024/FY2024_Budget_Request_Overview_Book.pdf}}</ref><br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| [[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]]
| {{sortname|Lloyd|Austin}}
|
[[File:Secretary_of_Defense_Lloyd_Austin,_official_portrait,_2023_(cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of Health and Human Services|Health and Human Services]]
|[[File:US_Department_of_Health_and_Human_Services_seal.svg|75px]]
|[[File:Flag of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.svg|75x75px]]
| April 11, 1953
| data-sort-value=65000 | 65,000<br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| data-sort-value=1772000000000 | $1.772 trillion<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - Fiscal Year 2024 Budget in Brief |url=https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/fy-2024-budget-in-brief.pdf}}</ref><br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| [[United States Secretary of Health and Human Services|Secretary of Health and Human Services]]
| {{sortname|Xavier|Becerra}}
|
[[File:HHS_Xavier_Becerra_(cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of Housing and Urban Development|Housing and Urban Development]]
|[[File:Seal_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Housing_and_Urban_Development.svg|75px]]
|[[File:Flag_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Housing_and_Urban_Development.svg|75px]]
| September 9, 1965
| data-sort-value=9000 | 9,000<br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| data-sort-value=61700000000 | $61.7 billion<ref>{{Cite web |title=DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT - 2024 CONGRESSIONAL JUSTIFICATIONS |url=https://www.hud.gov/sites/dfiles/CFO/documents/2024-HUD-Congressional-Justifications.pdf}}</ref><br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| [[United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development|Secretary of Housing and Urban Development]]
| {{sortname|Marcia|Fudge}}
|
[[File:SecretaryMarciaFudge_(cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of Transportation|Transportation]]
|[[File:United_States_Department_of_Transportation_seal.svg|75px]]
|[[File:Flag of the United States Department of Transportation.svg|75px]]
| April 1, 1967
| data-sort-value=55000 | 55,000<br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| data-sort-value=145000000000 | $145 billion<ref>{{Cite web |title=Budget Highlights 2024 - Secretary of Transportation |url=https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2023-03/BudgetHL2024_Mar09_3pm_508.pdf}}</ref><br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| [[United States Secretary of Transportation|Secretary of Transportation]]
| {{sortname|Pete|Buttigieg}}
|
[[File:Pete_Buttigieg,_Secretary_of_Transportation_(cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of Energy|Energy]]
|[[File:Seal_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Energy.svg|75px]]
|[[File:Flag_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Energy.svg|75px]]
| August 4, 1977
| data-sort-value=10000 | 10,000<br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| data-sort-value=45800000000 | $45.8 billion<ref>{{Cite web |title=Department of Energy - FY 2024 |url=https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-05/doe-fy2024-budget-in-brief-v4.pdf}}</ref><br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| [[United States Secretary of Energy|Secretary of Energy]]
| {{sortname|Jennifer|Granholm}}
|
[[File:Secretary_Jennifer_Granholm_(June_2021)_(cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of Education|Education]]
|[[File:Seal_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Education.svg|75px]]
|[[File:Flag_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Education.svg|75px]]
| October 17, 1979
| data-sort-value=4200 | 4,200<br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| data-sort-value=79600000000 | $79.6 billion<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - Fiscal year 2024 |url=https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget24/summary/24summary.pdf}}</ref><br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| [[United States Secretary of Education|Secretary of Education]]
| {{sortname|Miguel|Cardona}}
|
[[File:Secretary_of_Education_Miguel_Cardona,_official_portrait_(cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs|Veterans Affairs]]
|[[File:Seal_of_the_U.S._Department_of_Veterans_Affairs.svg|75px]]
|[[File:Flag_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Veterans_Affairs.svg|75px]]
| March 15, 1989
| data-sort-value=235000 | 235,000<br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| data-sort-value=308500000000 | $308.5 billion<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS |url=https://www.va.gov/budget/docs/summary/fy2024-va-budget-in-brief.pdf}}</ref><br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| [[United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs|Secretary of Veterans Affairs]]
| {{sortname|Denis|McDonough}}
|
[[File:Secretary_McDonough,_official_photo_(cropped).jpg|100px]]
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of Homeland Security|Homeland Security]]
|[[File:Seal_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Homeland_Security.svg|75px]]
|[[File:Flag_of_the_United_States_Department_of_Homeland_Security.svg|75px]]
| November 25, 2002
| data-sort-value=250000 | 250,000<br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| data-sort-value=101600000000 | $101.6 billion<ref>{{Cite web |title=FY 2024 - Homeland Security - Budget in Brief |url=https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2023-03/DHS%20FY%202024%20BUDGET%20IN%20BRIEF%20%28BIB%29_Remediated.pdf}}</ref><br/>{{small|(2023)}}
| [[United States Secretary of Homeland Security|Secretary of Homeland Security]]
| {{sortname|Alejandro|Mayorkas}}
|
[[File:Secretary_Mayorkas_Official_Photo_(cropped).jpg|100px]]
|}

==Former departments==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center; width: 100%;"
|-
! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Department
! scope="col" rowspan="2" data-sort-type="date" | Formed
! scope="col" rowspan="2" data-sort-type="date" | Removed from Cabinet
! scope="col" rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Superseded by
! scope="col" colspan="3" | Last Cabinet-level head
|-
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Titleholder
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of War|War]]
| August 7, 1789
| [[National Security Act of 1947|September 18, 1947]]
| [[United States Department of the Army|Department of the Army]]<br/>[[United States Department of the Air Force|Department of the Air Force]]
| [[United States Secretary of War|Secretary of War]]
| {{sortname|Kenneth Claiborne|Royall}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of the Army|Army]]
| rowspan="2" | September 18, 1947
| rowspan="2" | August 10, 1949
| rowspan="2" | [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]]<br /><small>(as executive department)<br />''became and still are military departments within the Department of Defense''</small>
| [[United States Secretary of the Army|Secretary of the Army]]
| {{sortname|Gordon|Gray|dab=politician}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of the Air Force|Air Force]]
| [[United States Secretary of the Air Force|Secretary of the Air Force]]
| {{sortname|Stuart|Symington}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of the Navy|Navy]]
| April 30, 1798
| August 10, 1949
| Department of Defense<br /><small>(as executive department)<br />''became and still is a military department within the Department of Defense''</small>
|[[United States Secretary of the Navy|Secretary of the Navy]]
| {{sortname|Francis P.|Matthews}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Post Office Department|Post Office]]
| February 20, 1792
| [[Postal Reorganization Act|July 1, 1971]]
| [[United States Postal Service]]
| [[United States Postmaster General|Postmaster General]]
| {{sortname|Winton M.|Blount}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of Commerce and Labor|Commerce and Labor]]
| February 14, 1903
| March 4, 1913
| [[United States Department of Commerce|Department of Commerce]]<br/>[[United States Department of Labor|Department of Labor]]<br/><small>''(The Department of Commerce is considered a continuation of the Department of Commerce and Labor under a new name.)''</small>
|Secretary of Commerce and Labor
| {{sortname|Charles|Nagel}}
|-
! scope="row" | [[United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare|Health, Education, and Welfare]]
| April 11, 1953
| October 17, 1979
| [[United States Department of Education|Department of Education]]<br/>[[United States Department of Health and Human Services|Department of Health and Human Services]]<br/><small>''(The Department of Health and Human Services is considered a continuation of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare under a new name.)''</small>
|Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare
| {{sortname|Patricia Roberts|Harris}}
|}

==Proposed departments==
* Department of Industry and Commerce, proposed by Secretary of the Treasury [[William Windom]] in a speech given at a Chamber of Commerce dinner in May 1881<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1881/05/13/archives/a-department-of-commerce.html|title=A Department of Commerce|newspaper=The New York Times|date=1881-05-13}}</ref>
* Department of Natural Resources, proposed by the [[Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower|Eisenhower administration]],<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gFiOK24ZASgC&q=Eisenhower+proposes+Department+of+Natural+Resources&pg=PA159|title=Improving Management and Organization in Federal Natural Resources and Environmental Functions: Hearing Before the Committee on Governmental Affairs, U. S. Senate|date=April 1, 1998|publisher=Diane Publishing|access-date=February 20, 2017|via=Google Books|quote=Chairman Stevens. Thank you very much. I think both of you are really pointing in the same direction as this Committee. I do hope we can keep it on a bipartisan basis. Mr. Dean, when I was at the Interior Department, I drafted Eisenhower's Department of Natural Resources proposal, and we have had a series of them that have been presented.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114195305/https://books.google.com/books?id=gFiOK24ZASgC&pg=PA159&lpg=PA159&dq=Eisenhower%20proposes%20Department%20of%20Natural%20Resources#v=onepage&q=Eisenhower%20proposes%20Department%20of%20Natural%20Resources|archive-date=January 14, 2019|url-status=live|isbn=9780788148743}}</ref> President [[Richard Nixon]],<ref name="Nixon">{{cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=2951|title=116 - Special Message to the Congress on Executive Branch Reorganization|work=The University of California, Santa Barbara - The American Presidency Project|quote=The administration is today transmitting to the Congress four bills which, if enacted, would replace seven of the present executive departments and several other agencies with four new departments: the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Community Development, the Department of Human Resources and the Department of Economic Affairs.|access-date=February 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214101500/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=2951|archive-date=February 14, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> the [[1976 Republican National Convention|1976 GOP national platform]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=25843|title=Republican Party Platform of 1976|date=August 18, 1976|work=The University of California, Santa Barbara - The American Presidency Project|access-date=March 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402094440/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=25843|archive-date=April 2, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> and by [[William M. Daley|Bill Daley]] (as a consolidation of the Departments of the Interior and Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency)<ref>{{Cite web|author=Thrush, Glenn|title=Locked in the Cabinet|work=[[Politico]]|date=November 8, 2013|url=http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2013/11/locked-in-the-cabinet-99374_Page3.html|access-date=November 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131117102623/http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2013/11/locked-in-the-cabinet-99374_Page3.html|archive-date=November 17, 2013|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* [[Department of Peace]], proposed by Senator [[Matthew M. Neely|Matthew Neely]] in the 1930s, Congressman [[Dennis Kucinich]], 2020 and 2024 presidential candidate [[Marianne Williamson]], and other members of the U.S. Congress<ref name='Schuman'>{{cite book | last = Schuman | first = Frederick L. | title = Why a Department of Peace | publisher = Another Mother for Peace | year = 1969 | location = Beverly Hills | pages = 56 | oclc = 339785 | df = mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/54/130/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060720174929/http://www.thepeacealliance.org/content/view/54/130/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2006-07-20|title=History of Legislation to Create a Dept. of Peace}}</ref>
* Department of Social Welfare, proposed by President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] in January 1937<ref name="Roosevelt">{{cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=15342|work=The University of California, Santa Barbara - The American Presidency Project|title=10 - Summary of the Report of the Committee on Administrative Management|quote=Overhaul the more than 100 separate departments, boards, commissions, administrations, authorities, corporations, committees, agencies and activities which are now parts of the Executive Branch, and theoretically under the President, and consolidate them within twelve regular departments, which would include the existing ten departments and two new departments, a Department of Social Welfare, and a Department of Public Works. Change the name of the Department of Interior to Department of Conservation.|access-date=February 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170213164512/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=15342|archive-date=February 13, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Department of Public Works, proposed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in January 1937<ref name="Roosevelt"/>
* Department of Conservation (renamed [[United States Department of the Interior|Department of the Interior]]), proposed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in January 1937<ref name="Roosevelt"/>
* Department of Urban Affairs and Housing, proposed by President [[John F. Kennedy]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=8699|title=23 - Special Message to the Congress Transmitting Reorganization Plan 1 of 1962|work=The University of California, Santa Barbara - The American Presidency Project|access-date=February 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214002721/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=8699|archive-date=February 14, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Department of Business and Labor, proposed by President Lyndon B. Johnson<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=28141|title=121 - Special Message to the Congress: The Quality of American Government|work=The University of California, Santa Barbara - The American Presidency Project|quote=In my State of the Union Address, and later in my Budget and Economic Messages to the Congress, I proposed the creation of a new Department of Business and Labor.|access-date=February 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214002341/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=28141|archive-date=February 14, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Department of Community Development, proposed by President Richard Nixon; to be chiefly concerned with rural infrastructure development<ref name="Nixon"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=3608|title=33 - Special Message to the Congress on Rural Development|work=The University of California, Santa Barbara - The American Presidency Project|access-date=February 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214002722/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=3608|archive-date=February 14, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Department of Human Resources, proposed by President Richard Nixon; essentially a revised Department of Health, Education, and Welfare<ref name="Nixon"/>
* Department of Economic Affairs, proposed by President Richard Nixon; essentially a consolidation of the Departments of Commerce, Labor, and Agriculture.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=2951|title=116 - Special Message to the Congress on Executive Branch Reorganization|work=The University of California, Santa Barbara - The American Presidency Project|quote=The new Department of Economic Affairs would include many of the offices that are now within the Departments of Commerce, Labor and Agriculture. A large part of the Department of Transportation would also be relocated here, including the United States Coast Guard, the Federal Railroad Administration, the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Transportation Systems Center, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Motor Carrier Safety Bureau and most of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Small Business Administration, the Science Information Exchange program from the Smithsonian Institution, the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and the Office of Technology Utilization from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration would also be included in the new Department.|access-date=February 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214101500/http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=2951|archive-date=February 14, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Department of Environmental Protection, proposed by Senator [[Arlen Specter]] and others<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/Notebook/Note_02-RMSP3.htm|title=Public Notes on 02-RMSP3|access-date=February 20, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613094946/http://www.ontheissues.org/Notebook/Note_02-RMSP3.htm|archive-date=June 13, 2017|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* Department of Intelligence, proposed by former [[Director of National Intelligence]] [[Mike McConnell (U.S. Naval officer)|Mike McConnell]]<ref>{{Cite web| title = A Conversation with Michael McConnell| work=[[Council on Foreign Relations]] (Federal News Service, rush transcript)| date = June 29, 2007| url = http://www.cfr.org/intelligence/conversation-michael-mcconnell-rush-transcript-federal-news-service/p13703| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130117042421/http://www.cfr.org/intelligence/conversation-michael-mcconnell-rush-transcript-federal-news-service/p13703| url-status = dead| archive-date = January 17, 2013| access-date =January 9, 2013}}</ref>
* Department of Global Development, proposed by the [[Center for Global Development]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cgdev.org/article/time-cabinet-level-us-department-global-development|title=Time for a Cabinet-Level U.S. Department of Global Development|work=The Center for Global Development|access-date=February 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114195305/https://www.cgdev.org/article/time-cabinet-level-us-department-global-development|archive-date=January 14, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Department of Art, proposed by [[Quincy Jones]]<ref>{{Cite magazine| author = Clarke, John Jr.| title = Quincy Jones Lobbies Obama for Secretary of Culture Post| magazine = [[Rolling Stone]]| date = January 16, 2009| url = https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/15765/90864| archive-url = https://archive.today/20120908204104/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/15765/90864| url-status = dead| archive-date = September 8, 2012| access-date = August 19, 2010}}</ref>
* Department of Business, proposed by President [[Barack Obama]] as a consolidation of the U.S. Department of Commerce's core business and trade functions, the [[Small Business Administration]], the [[Office of the United States Trade Representative|Office of the U.S. Trade Representative]], the [[Export–Import Bank of the United States|Export-Import Bank]], the [[Overseas Private Investment Corporation]], and the [[United States Trade and Development Agency|U.S. Trade and Development Agency]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/01/13/president-obama-announces-proposal-reform-reorganize-and-consolidate-gov|title=President Obama Announces proposal to reform, reorganize and consolidate Government|access-date=February 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211080315/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/01/13/president-obama-announces-proposal-reform-reorganize-and-consolidate-gov|archive-date=February 11, 2017|url-status=live|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|work=[[whitehouse.gov]]|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/10/29/obama-suggests-secretary-of-business-in-a-second-term/|work=The Wall Street Journal|author-first1=Carol E.|author-last1=Lee|date=29 October 2012|title=Obama Suggests 'Secretary of Business' in a 2nd Term - Washington Wire - WSJ|access-date=August 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170301053228/http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2012/10/29/obama-suggests-secretary-of-business-in-a-second-term/|archive-date=March 1, 2017|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* Department of Commerce and the Workforce, a merger of the Department of Commerce and the Department of Labor proposed in 2011 and 2013 by Senator [[Richard Burr]] (R-[[North Carolina|NC]]) in {{USBill|112|S|1116}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.burr.senate.gov/press/releases/burr-cuts-wasteful-spending-improves-efficiency-by-combining-dept-of-labor-and-commerce|title=Burr Cuts Wasteful Spending, Improves Efficiency by Combining Dept. of Labor and Commerce {{!}} U.S. Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina|website=www.burr.senate.gov|date=17 December 2013|language=en|access-date=2019-07-12|archive-date=2019-07-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712151506/https://www.burr.senate.gov/press/releases/burr-cuts-wasteful-spending-improves-efficiency-by-combining-dept-of-labor-and-commerce|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s1116/actions_votes|title=S.1116: Actions & Votes|access-date=November 10, 2011}}</ref>
* Department of Education and the Workforce, proposed by President [[Donald Trump]] as a consolidation of the Departments of Education and Labor<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/06/21/622189097/white-house-proposes-merging-education-and-labor-departments|title=White House Proposes Merging Education And Labor Departments|work=NPR.org|access-date=2018-06-22|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180621234348/https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/06/21/622189097/white-house-proposes-merging-education-and-labor-departments|archive-date=June 21, 2018|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
* Department of Health and Public Welfare, proposed by President Donald Trump as a renamed Department of Health and Human Services<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Government-Reform-and-Reorg-Plan.pdf|title=Delivering Government Solutions in the 21st Century {{!}} Reform Plan and Reorganization Recommendations|date=2018|website=[[whitehouse.gov]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412132813/https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Government-Reform-and-Reorg-Plan.pdf|archive-date=April 12, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Department of Economic Development, proposed by Senator [[Elizabeth Warren]] to replace the Commerce Department, subsume other agencies like the Small Business Administration and the [[United States Patent and Trademark Office|Patent and Trademark Office]], and include research and development programs, worker training programs, and export and trade authorities like the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative with the single goal of creating and defending good American jobs<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@teamwarren/a-plan-for-economic-patriotism-13b879f4cfc7|title=A Plan For Economic Patriotism|last=Warren|first=Team|date=2019-06-04|website=Medium|language=en|access-date=2019-07-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190731023456/https://medium.com/@teamwarren/a-plan-for-economic-patriotism-13b879f4cfc7|archive-date=July 31, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Department of Technology, proposed by businessman and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate [[Andrew Yang]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yang2020.com/policies/regulating-ai-emerging-technologies/|title=Regulate AI and other Emerging Technologies|website=Andrew Yang for President|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820174006/https://www.yang2020.com/policies/regulating-ai-emerging-technologies/|archive-date=August 20, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Department of Children and Youth, proposed by Marianne Williamson<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://marianne2020.com/issues/plan-for-a-u-s-department-of-children-and-youth|title=U.S. Department of Children and Youth "The Whole Child Plan"|website=Marianne Williamson for President|language=en-US|access-date=2020-12-01}}</ref>
* Department of Culture, patterned on similar departments in many foreign nations, proposed by, among others, [[Murray Moss]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=Garber|first=Megan|date=2013-07-01|title=Should the U.S. Have a Secretary of Culture?|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/07/should-the-us-have-a-secretary-of-culture/277409/|access-date=2021-01-22|website=The Atlantic|language=en-US}}</ref> and Jeva Lange<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-16|title=Hey Joe – appoint a culture secretary|url=https://theweek.com/articles/949759/hey-joe--appoint-culture-secretary|access-date=2021-01-22|website=theweek.com|language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom|British government departments]]
* [[Structure of the Canadian federal government|Canadian Federal government departments]]
* [[Cabinet of the Confederate States of America]]
* [[Cabinet of the United States]]
* [[Independent agencies of the United States government]]
* [[List of federal agencies in the United States]]

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist|40em}}

===Sources===
{{refbegin}}
* Relyea, Harold C. [https://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/13385.pdf "Homeland Security: Department Organization and Management"] (PDF), ''Report for Congress'', 2002. RL31493 (August 7, 2002).
{{refend}}

==External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline|Executive Departments of the United States}}

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{{USCabinet |state = uncollapsed }}

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[[Category:United States federal executive departments| ]]