ABSTRACT
The cabinet is one of the most unusual institutions of the presidency. Although not specifically mentioned in the Constitution or provided for in statutory law, the cabinet has become an institutionalized part of the presidency. The secretaries of the executive departments make up the majority of the cabinet. Executive departments are the largest units of the federal executive branch. Each department covers broad areas of responsibility. As of 1996, there were fourteen cabinet departments: Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, Labor, State, Transportation, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs.
