Cabinet Departments and their Functions

State

Anthony Blinken; advises president on foreign policy and negotiates treaties with foreign countries

Treasury

Janet Yellen; produces coins and bills, collects taxes; enforces alcohol, tobacco, and firearm laws; IRS and US mint, Secret Service

Defense (war)

Lloyd Austin; provides military forces to deter war and protect the nation's security; dept. of Navy, Army, Air Force, etc.

Justice (Attorney General)

Merrick Garland; prosecutes those accused of violating federal law, represents US in court, provides legal advice to the President.

Interior

manages public lands, wildlife refuges, national parks, helps Native Americans manage their affairs.

Agriculture

manages national forests, inspects food, administers food stamp and school lunch programs

Commerce

conducts census, grants patents and registers trademarks

Labor

enforces federal law on min. wages, max. hours, and safe working conditions

Health and Human Services

enforces pure food and drug act, medicare and medicaid

Housing and Urban Development

operates home financing and public housing programs, enforces fair housing laws

Transportation

administers programs to promote and regulate highways, mass transit, railroads, air travels

Energy

promotes production of renewable energy, fossil fuels, and nuclear energy

Education

administers federal aid to schools and conducts educational research

Veteran Affairs

administers benefits, pensions, and medical program for veterans

Homeland Security

border and transportation security and emergency preparedness and response

pardon

official forgiveness granted by the President for a federal crime, which exempts the individual from punishment and restores their civil rights.

commutation

the power of the executive to reduce or change a criminal sentence imposed by a court for federal crimes. Does not remove sentences, only lessens them.

Amnesty

a type of pardon given to a group of people, usually after a war or rebellion. Federal cases only.

Reprieve

the president’s power to delay punishment for someone. typically only used for severe penalties (like the death sentence) in federal cases.