Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

assumed office as

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...

on January 20, 2009, and his term ended on January 20, 2017. The president has the authority to nominate members of his

Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filin ...

to the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and po ...

for confirmation under the

Appointments Clause The Appointments Clause of Article II, Section 2, Clause 2, of the United States Constitution empowers the President of the United States to nominate and, with the advice and consent (confirmation) of the United States Senate, appoint public offi ...

of the

United States Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the natio ...

. Before confirmation and during

congressional hearings A United States congressional hearing is the principal formal method by which United States congressional committees collect and analyze information in the early stages of legislative policymaking. Whether confirmation hearings (a procedure unique ...

a high-level career member of an executive department heads this pre-confirmed cabinet on an acting basis. The Cabinet's creation was part of the

transition of power A peaceful transition or transfer of power is a concept important to democratic governments in which the leadership of a government peacefully hands over control of government to a newly-elected leadership. This may be after elections or during t ...

following the 2008 presidential election. This page documents the nomination and confirmation process for

cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filin ...

nominees of Obama's

administration Administration may refer to: Management of organizations * Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal ** Administrative Assistant, traditionally known as a Secretary, or also known as an administrative officer, admini ...

. They are listed in order of creation of the cabinet position (also used as the basis for the presidential line of succession).

Cabinet

Cabinet officials on January 20, 2017

Confirmation timeline

Vice president

The vice president is an elected official rather than an appointed position, and therefore does not require confirmation by the Senate. Joe Biden and Dick Cheney at VP residence

Joe Biden and Dick Cheney at VP residence

Since shortly following Biden's withdrawal from the presidential race, Obama had been privately telling Biden that he was interested in finding an important place for him in a possible Obama administration. In a June 22, 2008, interview on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

's ''

Meet the Press ''Meet the Press'' is a weekly American television Sunday morning talk shows, news/interview program broadcast on NBC. It is the List of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running program on American television, though the curr ...

'', Biden confirmed that, although he was not actively seeking a spot on the ticket, he would accept the vice presidential nomination if offered. In early August, Obama and Biden met in secret to discuss a possible vice-presidential relationship. On August 22, 2008, Barack Obama announced that Biden would be his

running mate A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position (such as the vice presidential candidate running with a p ...

. ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' reported that the strategy behind the choice reflected a desire to fill out the ticket with someone who has

foreign policy A state's foreign policy or external policy (as opposed to internal or domestic policy) is its objectives and activities in relation to its interactions with other states, unions, and other political entities, whether bilaterally or through ...

and

national security National security, or national defence, is the security and defence of a sovereign state, including its citizens, economy, and institutions, which is regarded as a duty of government. Originally conceived as protection against military att ...

experience—and not to help the ticket win a

swing state In American politics, the term swing state (also known as battleground state or purple state) refers to any state that could reasonably be won by either the Democratic or Republican candidate in a statewide election, most often referring to pres ...

or to emphasize Obama's "change" message. Other observers pointed out Biden's appeal to

middle-class The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Com ...

and

blue-collar A blue-collar worker is a working class person who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled labor. The type of work may involving manufacturing, warehousing, mining, excavation, electricity generation and powe ...

voters, as well as his willingness to aggressively challenge Republican nominee

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two te ...

in a way that Obama seemed uncomfortable doing at times. In accepting Obama's offer, Biden ruled out to him the possibility of running for president again in 2016. On November 4, 2008, Obama was elected president and Biden vice president of the United States. The Obama-Biden ticket won 365 electoral college votes to McCain-Palin's 173, and had a 53–46 percent edge in the nationwide popular vote. Biden became the 47th Vice President of the United States on January 20, 2009, when he was inaugurated alongside President Barack Obama. He succeeded

Dick Cheney Richard Bruce Cheney ( ; born January 30, 1941) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 46th vice president of the United States from 2001 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. He is currently the oldest living former ...

. Biden is the first United States Vice President from Delaware and the first Roman Catholic to attain that office. Biden's

oath of office An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before assuming the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations. Suc ...

was administered by Supreme Court Justice

John Paul Stevens John Paul Stevens (April 20, 1920 – July 16, 2019) was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1975 to 2010. At the time of his retirement, he was the second-oldes ...

. As the presidential transition of Barack Obama began, Biden said he was in daily meetings with Obama and that McCain was still his friend. The

U.S. Secret Service The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security charged with conducting criminal investigations and protecting U.S. political leaders, their families, and ...

codename given to Biden is "Celtic", referencing his Irish roots. Biden chose veteran Democratic lawyer and aide

Ron Klain Ronald Alan Klain ( ; born August 8, 1961) is an American attorney, political consultant, and former lobbyist serving as White House chief of staff under President Joe Biden. A Democrat, he was previously chief of staff to two vice presidents ...

to be his vice-presidential chief of staff, and ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...

'' Washington bureau chief

Jay Carney James Ferguson 'Jay' Carney (born May 22, 1965) is an American public relations officer, political advisor and journalist who has served as Amazon's Senior Vice President of Global Corporate Affairs from 2015 to 2022, and the United States Whi ...

to be his director of communications. Biden intended to eliminate some of the explicit roles assumed by the vice presidency of Cheney. But otherwise, Biden said he would not model his vice presidency on any of the ones before him, but instead would seek to provide advice and counsel on every critical decision Obama would make. Biden said he had been closely involved in all the cabinet appointments that were made during the transition. Biden was also named to head the new White House Task Force on Working Families, an initiative aimed at improving the economic well-being of the middle class.

Secretary of State

The Secretary of State designate is reviewed and presented to the full Senate by the

Senate Foreign Relations Committee The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the U.S. Senate charged with leading foreign-policy legislation and debate in the Senate. It is generally responsible for overseeing and funding foreign aid p ...

Hillary Clinton (2009–2013)

Hillary Clinton official Secretary of State portrait crop

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

assumed the office of Secretary of State on January 21, 2009. In mid-November 2008, President-elect Obama and Clinton discussed the possibility of her serving as U.S. Secretary of State in his administration, along with rumored nominees such as

Bill Richardson William Blaine Richardson III (born November 15, 1947) is an American politician, author, and diplomat who served as the 30th governor of New Mexico from 2003 to 2011. He was also the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Energy Secretary ...

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party, he ...

Sam Nunn Samuel Augustus Nunn Jr. (born September 8, 1938) is an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Georgia (1972–1997) as a member of the Democratic Party. After leaving Congress, Nunn co-founded the Nuclear Threat Initia ...

and

Chuck Hagel Charles Timothy Hagel ( born October 4, 1946) Clinton was floated in emails by Obama transition officials as a possible secretary of health and human services. On December 1, President-elect Obama formally announced that Clinton would be his nominee for Secretary of State. Clinton said she was reluctant to leave the Senate, but that the new position represented a "difficult and exciting adventure". The appointment required a

Saxbe fix The Saxbe fix ( ), or salary rollback, is a mechanism by which the President of the United States, in appointing a current or former member of the United States Congress whose elected term has not yet expired, can avoid the restriction of the Uni ...

, as Clinton was then a member of the

. As part of the nomination, Clinton's husband, former president

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again ...

, agreed to accept a number of conditions and restrictions regarding his ongoing activities and fundraising efforts for the

Clinton Presidential Center The William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library of Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States (1993–2001). It is located in Little Rock, Arkansas and includes the Clinton Presidential Library ...

and

Clinton Global Initiative The Clinton Foundation (founded in 2001 as the William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation, and renamed in 2013 as the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation) is a nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code. It was es ...

. Confirmation hearings before the

began on January 13, 2009, a week before the Obama inauguration; two days later, the committee voted 16–1 to approve Clinton. By this time, Clinton's public approval rating had reached 65 percent, the highest point since the Lewinsky scandal. On January 21, 2009, Clinton was confirmed in the full Senate by a roll call vote of 94–2. Clinton took the oath of office of Secretary of State and resigned from the Senate the same day. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman

stated that he expected Clinton to face some tough questions, but thought she was going to do a good job at (being Secretary of State).

Christopher Hitchens Christopher Eric Hitchens (13 April 1949 – 15 December 2011) was a British-American author and journalist who wrote or edited over 30 books (including five essay collections) on culture, politics, and literature. Born and educated in England, ...

of ''

Vanity Fair Vanity Fair may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Literature * Vanity Fair, a location in '' The Pilgrim's Progress'' (1678), by John Bunyan * ''Vanity Fair'' (novel), 1848, by William Makepeace Thackeray * ''Vanity Fair'' (magazines), the ...

'' called her nomination a ludicrous embarrassment on the edition of November 18, 2008, of '' Hardball'' due to the Clintons' overseas connections, her actions during the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary. Senator

John Cornyn John Cornyn III ( ; born February 2, 1952) is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States senator from Texas, a seat he has held since 2002. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the Senate majority whip for ...

(R-Texas) voted against a unanimous voice approval, citing ethical concerns. He sought not to block the nomination through a filibuster, but to voice his opposition to her policies. Senator

David Vitter David Bruce Vitter (born May 3, 1961) is an American lobbyist, lawyer, and politician who served as United States Senator for Louisiana from 2005 to 2017. A Republican, Vitter served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1992 to 1999. ...

(R-Louisiana) also voted against Clinton in Committee citing her husband's foreign donations for his non-profit entities.

John Kerry (2013–2017)

John Kerry official Secretary of State portrait

Hillary Clinton had announced she would not stay on in a second Obama term. Obama nominated Senator

of Massachusetts as his Secretary of State. On January 29, 2013, John Kerry was confirmed by the Senate in a 94–3 vote to be Secretary of State. John Kerry took office on February 1, 2013.

Secretary of the Treasury

The Secretary of the Treasury is reviewed by the

Senate Finance Committee The United States Senate Committee on Finance (or, less formally, Senate Finance Committee) is a standing committee of the United States Senate. The Committee concerns itself with matters relating to taxation and other revenue measures general ...

Tim Geithner (2009–2013)

At the end of November 2008, President-elect Obama announced his intention to nominate

Timothy Geithner Timothy Franz Geithner (; born August 18, 1961) is a former American central banker who served as the 75th United States Secretary of the Treasury under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013. He was the President of the Federal Reserve Bank ...

, President of the

New York Federal Reserve Bank The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is one of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks of the United States. It is responsible for the Second District of the Federal Reserve System, which encompasses the State of New York, the 12 northern counties of New ...

, to be

United States Secretary of the Treasury The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...

, replacing

Henry Paulson Henry Merritt Paulson Jr. (born March 28, 1946) is an American banker and financier who served as the 74th United States Secretary of the Treasury from 2006 to 2009. Prior to his role in the Department of the Treasury, Paulson was the Chairman a ...

. Geithner believed, along with Paulson, that the

United States Department of the Treasury The Department of the Treasury (USDT) is the national treasury and finance department of the federal government of the United States, where it serves as an executive department. The department oversees the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and ...

needed new authority to experiment with responses to the

financial crisis of 2007–2008 Finance is the study and discipline of money, currency and capital assets. It is related to, but not synonymous with economics, the study of production, distribution, and consumption of money, assets, goods and services (the discipline of ...

. In a written statement, Geithner said that China is manipulating the

Renminbi The renminbi (; symbol: ¥; ISO code: CNY; abbreviation: RMB) is the official currency of the People's Republic of China and one of the world's most traded currencies, ranking as the fifth most traded currency in the world as of April 202 ...

by purposefully keeping its value low in order to make its exported products seem cheaper on the world market. If confirmed, Geither said to the

that he would ask the Obama administration to pressure China diplomatically to change this practice, more strongly than the Bush administration did. The United States maintains that China's actions hurt American businesses and contributed to the

. At the Senate confirmation hearings, it was revealed through documentary evidence that Geithner had not paid $35,000 self-employment taxes for several years, even though he had acknowledged his obligation to do so, and had filed a request for, and received, a payment for half the taxes owed. The failure to pay self-employment taxes was noted during a 2006 audit by the

Internal Revenue Service The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting U.S. federal taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code, the main body of the federal statutory t ...

, in which Geithner was assessed additional taxes of $14,847 for the 2003 and 2004 tax years. Geithner failed to pay, or to admit his failure to pay, the self-employment taxes for the 2001 and 2002 tax years until after President-elect Obama expressed his intent to nominate Geithner to be Secretary of Treasury. He also deducted the cost of his children's sleep-away camp as a dependent care expense, when only expenses for day care are eligible for the deduction. Geithner subsequently paid the IRS the additional taxes owed, and was charged interest of $15,000, but was not fined for late payment. In addition, his housekeeper's work authorization lapsed during the last three months she worked for him. Geithner's employer at the time, the

International Monetary Fund The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 190 countries. Its stated mission is "working to foster glo ...

, gives its American employees the employer's half of the payroll taxes, expecting that the employees will deposit the money with the Internal Revenue Service. A report from the Senate Finance Committee documented Geithner's errors. While working for IMF, Geithner signed a tax worksheet stating his "obligation of the U.S. Social Security tax, which I will pay on my fund income" and another annual worksheet stating "I wish to apply for tax allowance of U.S. federal and state income taxes and the difference between the 'self-employed' and 'employed' obligation of the U.S. Social Security tax which I will pay on my Fund income." In a statement to the Senate panel considering his nomination, Geithner called the tax issues "careless", "avoidable", and "unintentional" errors, and he said he wanted to "apologize to the committee for putting you in the position of having to spend so much time on these issues." Geithner testified that he used

TurboTax TurboTax is a software package for preparation of American income tax returns, produced by Intuit. TurboTax is a market leader in its product segment, competing with H&R Block Tax Software and TaxAct. TurboTax was developed by Michael A. Chipm ...

to prepare his own return and that the tax errors are his own responsibility. ''The Washington Post'' quoted a tax expert who said that TurboTax has not been programmed to handle self-employment taxes when the user identifies himself as being employed. Geithner said at the hearing that he was always under the impression that he was an employee, not a self-employed contractor, while he served as director of the Policy Development and Review Department of IMF. Commentator

Michelle Malkin Michelle Malkin (; Maglalang; born October 20, 1970) is an American conservative political commentator. She was a Fox News contributor and in May 2020 joined Newsmax TV. Malkin has written seven books and founded the conservative websites Tw ...

posted on her web site, "IRS employment application packets notify potential workers that the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration vets all candidates and current employees 'who have violated or are violating laws, rules, or regulations related to the performance of their duties.' President-elect Obama is standing by a nominee who would oversee the IRS, but might not even qualify for a lesser job at the agency." Former Speaker of the House of Representatives

Newt Gingrich Newton Leroy Gingrich (; né McPherson; born June 17, 1943) is an American politician and author who served as the 50th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. A member of the Republican Party, he was the U. ...

, who also opposes his nomination said, "The IRS did not fine him. Ask small businesses how many of them think they could avoid paying self-employment Social Security and Medicare taxes for seven years and not be fined." "Had he not been nominated for Treasury Secretary it's doubtful that he would have ever paid these taxes," Republican Senator

Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin Graham (born July 9, 1955) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from South Carolina, a seat he has held since 2003. A member of the Republican Party, Graham chaired the Senate Committee on ...

supported Geithner's nomination, calling him "very, very competent" and "the right guy" for Secretary of the Treasury. On January 26, 2009, the U.S. Senate confirmed Geithner's appointment by a vote of 60–34. Geithner was sworn in as Treasury Secretary by

Vice President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...

Joe Biden and witnessed by President Obama. Geithner left the administration at the end of January 25, 2013.

Jack Lew (2013–2017)

On January 10, 2013, Jacob Lew, then the President's Chief of Staff was nominated as the replacement for retiring Treasury Secretary Geithner, to serve in President Obama's second term. Lew's nomination was confirmed by the full Senate on Wednesday, February 27, 2013, by a vote of 71 to 26. At the White House on the next day (Thursday, February 28), Vice President Joe Biden swore in Lew as the 76th Secretary of the Treasury.

Secretary of Defense

The Secretary of Defense designate is reviewed and presented to the full Senate by the

Senate Armed Services Committee The Committee on Armed Services (sometimes abbreviated SASC for ''Senate Armed Services Committee'') is a committee of the United States Senate empowered with legislative oversight of the nation's military, including the Department of Def ...

Robert Gates (2006–2011)

Robert Gates, official DoD photo portrait, 2006

Robert Gates Robert Michael Gates (born September 25, 1943) is an American intelligence analyst and university president who served as the 22nd United States secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011. He was originally appointed by president George W. Bush a ...

assumed the office of

Secretary of Defense A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in so ...

on December 18, 2006, under his predecessor then-President George W. Bush. The retention of Gates fulfilled Obama's pledge made on the campaign trail to have a Republican in his Cabinet. On December 1, 2008, President-elect Obama announced that Robert Gates would remain in his position as Secretary of Defense during his administration, reportedly for at least the first year of Obama's presidency. Gates is the fourteenth Cabinet member in history to serve under two Presidents of different parties. One of the first priorities under President Barack Obama's administration for Gates was a review of U.S. policy and strategy in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...

. Gates, sixth in the presidential line of succession, was selected as designated survivor during Obama's inauguration.

Leon Panetta (2011–2013)

Leon Panetta, official DoD photo portrait, 2011

On April 18, 2011,

Leon Panetta Leon Edward Panetta (born June 28, 1938) is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in several different public office positions, including Secretary of Defense, CIA Director, White House Chief of Staff, Director of the Office of ...

, the

Director of the Central Intelligence Agency The director of the Central Intelligence Agency (D/CIA) is a statutory office () that functions as the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, which in turn is a part of the United States Intelligence Community. Beginning February 2017, the ...

, was nominated to replace Gates. On June 21, 2011, the United States Senate confirmed Panetta in a 100–0 vote. He took office on June 30, 2011.

Chuck Hagel (2013–2015)

Obama nominated former Senator

Chuck Hagel Charles Timothy Hagel ( born October 4, 1946)The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' reported that Hagel would be resigning from his position as Secretary of Defense under pressure from the Obama administration. Later that day, President Obama announced Hagel's resignation and thanked him for his service. Hagel said in a statement, "You should know I did not make this decision lightly. But after much discussion, the President and I agreed that now was the right time for new leadership here at the Pentagon." Hagel stayed on until the confirmation of his successor.

Ash Carter (2015–2017)

On December 5, 2014, President Obama nominated former Deputy Secretary of Defense

Ash Carter Ashton Baldwin Carter (September 24, 1954 – October 24, 2022) was an American government official and academic who served as the 25th United States Secretary of Defense from February 2015 to January 2017. He later served as director of the B ...

as his fourth Secretary of Defense. On February 12, 2015, the Senate confirmed Carter in a 93–5 vote.

Attorney General

The confirmation of the office of Attorney General is overseen by the

Senate Judiciary Committee The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, informally the Senate Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of 22 U.S. senators whose role is to oversee the Department of Justice (DOJ), consider executive and judicial nominations ...

Eric Holder (2009–2015)

On December 1, 2008, Obama announced that

Eric Holder Eric Himpton Holder Jr. (born January 21, 1951) is an American lawyer who served as the 82nd Attorney General of the United States from 2009 to 2015. Holder, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama, was the first African Amer ...

would be his nominee for Attorney General. Holder was formally nominated on January 20, 2009, and approved by the

on January 28. Following his confirmation by the full

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

by a 75–21 vote on February 2, 2009, he became the first African-American Attorney General of the United States. In late 2007, Holder joined then-

United States Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and po ...

presidential campaign President most commonly refers to: * President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

as a senior legal advisor. He served on Obama's vice presidential selection committee. Holder favors closing the

Guantanamo Bay detention camp The Guantanamo Bay detention camp ( es, Centro de detención de la bahía de Guantánamo) is a United States military prison located within Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, also referred to as Guantánamo, GTMO, and Gitmo (), on the coast of Gua ...

, although he has said that the detainees are not technically entitled to Geneva convention protections. He is opposed to the Bush administration's implementation of the

Patriot Act The USA PATRIOT Act (commonly known as the Patriot Act) was a landmark Act of the United States Congress, signed into law by President George W. Bush. The formal name of the statute is the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appro ...

, saying it is "bad ultimately for law enforcement and will cost us the support of the American people." He has been critical of US torture policy and the

NSA warrantless surveillance The National Security Agency (NSA) is a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI). The NSA is responsible for global monitoring, collectio ...

program, accusing the Bush administration of a "disrespect for the rule of law...

hat is A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...

not only wrong, it is destructive in our struggle against terrorism." During his confirmation hearings in the Senate, Holder agreed with Senator

Patrick Leahy Patrick Joseph Leahy (; born March 31, 1940) is an American politician and attorney who is the senior United States senator from Vermont and serves as the president pro tempore of the United States Senate. A member of the Democratic Party, ...

, Democrat of

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provin ...

, that a technique used by U.S. interrogators under the Bush administration known as

waterboarding Waterboarding is a form of torture in which water is poured over a cloth covering the face and breathing passages of an immobilized captive, causing the person to experience the sensation of drowning. In the most common method of waterboard ...

torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons such as punishment, extracting a confession, interrogation for information, or intimidating third parties. Some definitions are restricted to acts ...

. On September 25, 2014, Holder announced that he would resign his post upon confirmation of a successor.

Loretta Lynch (2015–2017)

On November 8, 2014, President

nominated U.S. Attorney

Loretta Lynch Loretta Elizabeth Lynch (born May 21, 1959) is an American lawyer who served as the 83rd attorney general of the United States from 2015 to 2017. She was appointed by President Barack Obama to succeed Eric Holder and previously served as the Un ...

to succeed

as the next

Attorney General of the United States The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the ...

. After a contentious nomination process, the Senate confirmed Lynch on April 23, 2015, in a 56–43 vote.

Secretary of the Interior

The nomination of the Secretary of the Interior is presented to the full senate by the

Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources The United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over matters related to energy and mineral resources, including nuclear development; irrigation and recl ...

Ken Salazar (2009–2013)

Ken Salazar Kenneth Lee Salazar (born March 2, 1955) is an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat who is the United States ambassador to Mexico. He previously served as the 50th United States Secretary of the Interior in the administration of President B ...

assumed the office of

Secretary of the Interior Secretary of the Interior may refer to: * Secretary of the Interior (Mexico) * Interior Secretary of Pakistan * Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (Philippines) * United States Secretary of the Interior See also *Interior ministry An ...

on January 21, 2009, after a unanimous voice vote on the floor of the full Senate. Colorado Gov.

Bill Ritter August William Ritter Jr. (born September 6, 1956) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 41st Governor of Colorado from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the district attorney for Denver before his ele ...

appointed Denver Superintendent of Schools

Michael Bennet Michael Farrand Bennet (born November 28, 1964) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Colorado, a seat he has held since 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, he was appointed ...

to replace Salazar and to finish his term in the Senate, which expired in January 2011. Bennet was elected to a full term in 2010. Salazar was nominated as Secretary of the Interior on December 19, 2008. His appointment required a

by Congress. On January 7, 2009, Congress approved a bill, ; President Bush signed it into law, providing such a fix by reducing the Secretary of Interior's salary to the level it was prior to the time Salazar took office in January 2009. The Senate confirmed Salazar's nomination by voice vote on January 20, 2009, shortly after the swearing in of

President Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...

. As Secretary of the Interior, Salazar is in charge of the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properti ...

, the

Bureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior responsible for administering federal lands. Headquartered in Washington DC, and with oversight over , it governs one eighth of the country's ...

, the

United States Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

, the

United States Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, ...

, and other federal agencies overseen by the Interior Department. Salazar was one of two Hispanics in the Cabinet, along with

Secretary of Labor The United States Secretary of Labor is a member of the Cabinet of the United States, and as the head of the United States Department of Labor, controls the department, and enforces and suggests laws involving unions, the workplace, and all o ...

Hilda Solis Hilda Lucia Solis (; born October 20, 1957) is an American politician and a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for the 1st district. Solis previously served as the 25th United States Secretary of Labor from 2009 to 2013, as par ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. (There were three, but on January 4, 2009, Democratic

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , Offi ...

Gov. Bill Richardson withdrew his name from the appointment of

Secretary of Commerce The United States secretary of commerce (SecCom) is the head of the United States Department of Commerce. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters relating to commerce. The secretary rep ...

). Salazar is the second Hispanic Interior Secretary after

Manuel Lujan Jr. Manuel Archibald Lujan Jr. (May 12, 1928 – April 25, 2019) was an American politician from New Mexico who served in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican from 1969 to 1989 and as the United States Secretary of the Interior from 1 ...

, who held the post from 1989 to 1993 under President George H. W. Bush. Several prominent environmentalist groups are wary of Salazar, noting his strong ties with the coal and mining industries. Kieran Suckling, executive director of Center for Biological Diversity, which tracks endangered species and habitat issues states "He

en Salazar En or EN may refer to: Businesses * Bouygues (stock symbol EN) * Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway (reporting mark EN, but now known as Southern Railway of Vancouver Island) * Euronews, a news television and internet channel Language and writing * E ...

is a right-of-center Democrat who often favors industry and big agriculture in battles over global warming, fuel efficiency and endangered species." The nomination was praised, however, by

Gene Karpinski Gene Karpinski (born January 14, 1952) is the president of the League of Conservation Voters. Karpinski is a graduate of Brown University and Georgetown University Law Center. Upon receipt of his J.D. in 1977, Karpinski joined Congress Watch, ...

, President of the

League of Conservation Voters The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is an American environmental advocacy group. LCV says that it "advocates for sound environmental laws and policies, holds elected officials accountable for their votes and actions, and elects pro-environmen ...

. Upon the nomination, Karpinski said, "Throughout his career, Senator Salazar has campaigned on a pledge of support for 'our land, our water, our people.' With a perfect 100% score on the 2008 LCV Scorecard, he has lived up to that pledge. As a westerner, Senator Salazar has hands on experience with land and water issues, and will restore the Department of the Interior's role as the steward of America's public resources. We look forward to working with him to protect the health of America's land, water, and people in the coming years." Although Senate Republicans were expected to raise questions concerning Salazar's stances on

oil shale Oil shale is an organic-rich fine-grained sedimentary rock containing kerogen (a solid mixture of organic chemical compounds) from which liquid hydrocarbons can be produced. In addition to kerogen, general composition of oil shales constitut ...

development and drilling in environmentally sensitive areas, Salazar was one of several Obama Cabinet appointees confirmed in the Senate by voice vote on January 20, 2009, shortly after Obama's inauguration. Salazar became the 50th Secretary of the Interior succeeding

Dirk Kempthorne Dirk Arthur Kempthorne (born October 29, 1951) is an American politician who served as the 49th United States Secretary of the Interior from 2006 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a ...

, who praised Salazar's appointment. On January 23, 2009, Salazar has stated that he is considering reopening the

Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''; French: ''La Liberté éclairant le monde'') is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City, in the United States. The copper statue, ...

's crown to tourists. The crown has been closed to the public since the

September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...

. "I hope we can find a way," Salazar said in a statement. "It would proclaim to the world—both figuratively and literally—that the path to the light of liberty is open to all."

Sally Jewell (2013–2017)

On January 16, 2013, it was reported that Salazar would be leaving his post as Secretary of the Interior in March 2013. On February 6, 2013, President Obama nominated the CEO of

REI Rei or REI may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Rei, a story arc of the anime ''Higurashi When They Cry'' *Rei, a shapeshifting godlike dragon in the Australian webcomic series ''Vainglorious'' *Rei I, II and III, episodes of ''Neon Genesis Eva ...

Sally Jewell Sarah Margaret "Sally" Roffey Jewell (born February 21, 1956) is a British-American businessperson who served as the 51st United States secretary of the interior in the Obama administration from 2013 to 2017. Jewell was born in London and move ...

, as Secretary of the Interior. The Senate confirmed Jewell's nomination by an 87–11 vote on April 10, 2013.

Secretary of Agriculture

The nomination of the Secretary of Agriculture is brought to the full Senate by the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee. Tom Vilsack assumed the office of

Secretary of Agriculture The United States secretary of agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture. The position carries similar responsibilities to those of agriculture ministers in other governments. The department includes several organi ...

on January 21, 2009, after a unanimous voice vote of the whole Senate.

Tom Vilsack (2009–2017)

Tom Vilsack, official USDA photo portrait

On December 17, 2008, then-President-elect

announced his choice of Vilsack as the nominee to be the next

. Vilsack has governed a farm state (

Iowa Iowa () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wiscon ...

) as did the previous two Secretaries of Agriculture, Senator

Mike Johanns Michael Owen Johanns ( ; born June 18, 1950) is an American attorney and politician who served as a United States Senator from Nebraska from 2009 to 2015. He served as the 38th governor of Nebraska from 1999 until 2005, and was chair of the Mi ...

(2005–2007) and Ed Schafer (2007–2009). Reaction to Vilsack's nomination from agricultural groups was largely positive and included endorsements from the

Corn Refiners Association The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) is a trade association based in Washington, D.C. It represents the corn refining industry in the United States. Corn refining encompasses the production of corn starch, corn oil, and high fructose corn syrup (HF ...

, the National Grain and Feed Association, the National Farmers Union, the

American Farm Bureau Federation The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), also known as Farm Bureau Insurance and Farm Bureau Inc. but more commonly just the Farm Bureau (FB), is a United States-based insurance company and lobbying group that represents the American agr ...

, and the

Environmental Defense Fund Environmental Defense Fund or EDF (formerly known as Environmental Defense) is a United States-based nonprofit environmental advocacy group. The group is known for its work on issues including global warming, ecosystem restoration, oceans, and hu ...

. Opposition to the nomination came those who believed Vilsack has a preference for large industrial farms and

genetically modified crops Genetically modified crops (GM crops) are plants used in agriculture, the DNA of which has been modified using genetic engineering methods. Plant genomes can be engineered by physical methods or by use of ''Agrobacterium'' for the delivery of ...

; as Iowa state governor, he originated the seed pre-emption bill in 2005, effectively blocking local communities from regulating where

genetically engineered crops Genetically modified crops (GM crops) are plants used in agriculture, the DNA of which has been modified using genetic engineering methods. Plant genomes can be engineered by physical methods or by use of ''Agrobacterium'' for the delivery of s ...

would be grown; additionally, Vilsack was the founder and former chair of the Governor's Biotechnology Partnership, and was named Governor of the Year by the Biotechnology Industry Organization, an industry lobbying group. The Senate confirmed Vilsack's nomination for the position by unanimous consent on January 20, 2009.

Secretary of Commerce

The nomination of the

is brought to the full Senate by the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

Failed nomination of Bill Richardson (2009)

was nominated for the position of Secretary of Commerce on December 3, 2008. Nevertheless, due to federal investigation into some of his political donors, he withdrew himself from the nomination on January 4, 2009.

Failed nomination of Judd Gregg (2009)

On February 3, 2009, President Obama nominated New Hampshire Senator

Judd Gregg Judd Alan Gregg (born February 14, 1947) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the 76th governor of New Hampshire from 1989 to 1993 and was a United States senator from New Hampshire; in the Senate, Gregg served as chairman of the S ...

, a Republican. The nomination initially drew criticism, as it would likely give the Democrats in the Senate a

super-majority A supermajority, supra-majority, qualified majority, or special majority is a requirement for a proposal to gain a specified level of support which is greater than the threshold of more than one-half used for a simple majority. Supermajority ru ...

, assuming

Al Franken Alan Stuart Franken (born May 21, 1951) is an American comedian, politician, media personality, and author who served as a United States senator from Minnesota from 2009 to 2018. He gained fame as a writer and performer on the television comed ...

would be seated from Minnesota (as he eventually was) and the two independents regularly voted with the Democrats. Republican Senator Gregg would have been replaced by someone chosen by the state's Governor John Lynch, a Democrat. Initially, Senator

Mitch McConnell Addison Mitchell McConnell III (born February 20, 1942) is an American politician and retired attorney serving as the senior United States senator from Kentucky and the Senate minority leader since 2021. Currently in his seventh term, McCon ...

announced that he would prevent an attempt to achieve a super majority by the President. After talks, President Obama as well as Senator Gregg assured that it would not be used as an attempt to change the makeup of the Senate. On February 12, Senator Gregg announced that he had withdrawn from nomination, citing his fundamental disagreement with the Obama administration on "issues such as the stimulus package and the

Census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

Gary Locke (2009–2011)

Former

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Gary Locke Gary Faye Locke (born January 21, 1950) is an American politician and diplomat serving as the interim president of Bellevue College, the largest of the institutions that make up the Washington Community and Technical Colleges system. Locke se ...

was designated as the third Commerce nominee, multiple media outlets reported on February 23, 2009. An official announcement was made at a press conference with Locke and President Obama. After confirmation by a voice vote on March 24, Locke became the first

Chinese American Chinese Americans are Americans of Han Chinese ancestry. Chinese Americans constitute a subgroup of East Asian Americans which also constitute a subgroup of Asian Americans. Many Chinese Americans along with their ancestors trace lineage from ...

Secretary of Commerce, and the third

Asian American Asian Americans are Americans of Asian ancestry (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of such immigrants). Although this term had historically been used for all the indigenous peopl ...

in Obama's cabinet, joining Energy Secretary

Steven Chu Steven ChuEric Shinseki Eric Ken Shinseki (; born November 28, 1942) is a retired United States Army general who served as the seventh United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2009–2014). His final United States Army post was as the 34th Chief of Staff of the Arm ...

, the most of any administration in United States history.

John Bryson (2011–2012)

In May 2011, Obama appointed Locke as the new U.S. ambassador to China and nominated John Bryson as the next Secretary of Commerce. Citing Bryson's environmental views, U.S. Sen.

James Inhofe James Mountain Inhofe ( ; born November 17, 1934) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from Oklahoma, a seat he was first elected to in 1994. A member of the Republican Party, he chaired the U.S. Senate Committe ...

( R-

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...

) put a

hold Hold may refer to: Physical spaces * Hold (ship), interior cargo space * Baggage hold, cargo space on an airplane * Stronghold, a castle or other fortified place Arts, entertainment, and media * Hold (musical term), a pause, also called a Ferma ...

on his nomination in July. The Senate confirmed Bryson as Secretary of Commerce by a 74–26 vote on October 20, 2011. He was sworn in on October 21, 2011. Bryson took a leave of absence in June 2012 for medical tests due to

seizure An epileptic seizure, informally known as a seizure, is a period of symptoms due to abnormally excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. Outward effects vary from uncontrolled shaking movements involving much of the body with lo ...

s that were related to a

hit and run In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions. Additional obligation In many jurisdictions, there may be a ...

. On June 21, 2012, Bryson resigned because, "the work that ommerce employeesdo to help America's entrepreneurs and businesses build our economy and create jobs is more important now than ever and I have come to the conclusion that I need to step down to prevent distractions from this critical mission." Deputy Secretary

Rebecca Blank Rebecca Margaret Blank (born September 19, 1955) is an American economist and academic administrator. The Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Madison from 2013 to 2022, Blank has also served in various roles in the United States Departmen ...

served as Acting Secretary of Commerce without Senate confirmation following Bryson's resignation in June 2012 until

Penny Pritzker Penny Sue Pritzker (born May 2, 1959) is an American billionaire businesswoman and civic leader who served as the 38th United States secretary of commerce in the Obama administration from 2013 to 2017. She was confirmed by a Senate vote of 97� ...

's confirmation in June 2013.

Penny Pritzker (2013–2017)

On May 2, 2013, President Obama announced the nomination of hotel magnate

as Secretary of Commerce. On June 10, 2013, the Commerce, Science and Technology Committee unanimously approved Pritzker's nomination. On June 25, 2013, Pritzker was confirmed by the full Senate by a vote of 97 to 1.

Secretary of Labor

The Secretary of Labor is confirmed through the

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee The United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) generally considers matters relating to these issues. Its jurisdiction also extends beyond these issues to include several more specific areas, as defined by Sen ...

Hilda Solis (2009–2013)

assumed office as Secretary of Labor on February 24, 2009, when she was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 80–17, although her confirmation hearings had been stalled due to Republican concerns over her support of the

Employee Free Choice Act The Employee Free Choice Act is the name for several legislative bills on US labor law (, , , , , , , , .) which have been proposed and sometimes introduced into one or both chambers of the U.S. Congress. The bill's purpose, as taken from the 200 ...

and her desire to reverse the Bush Administration's policies to the H-2A Guest Worker Act and tax problems with her husband. On February 11, 2009, Solis's nomination passed the committee phase. On December 18, 2008, sources close to the

Obama transition team The presidential transition of Barack Obama began when he won the United States presidential election on November 4, 2008, and became the president-elect. Obama was formally elected by the Electoral College on December 15, 2008. The results ...

identified Solis as the President-elect's choice for

U.S. Secretary of Labor The United States Secretary of Labor is a member of the Cabinet of the United States, and as the head of the United States Department of Labor, controls the department, and enforces and suggests laws involving unions, the workplace, and all ot ...

, the last cabinet position yet to be filled. The selection earned praise from the

AFL–CIO The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO) is the largest federation of unions in the United States. It is made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 12 million ac ...

and other labor organizations, but it brought dismay from business and anti-labor groups. The official announcement was made by Obama on December 19. Her appointment required a

. Due to her confirmation, Solis's successor,

Judy Chu Judy May Chu (born July 7, 1953) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, she has held a seat in Congress since 2009, representing until redistricting. Chu is the first Chin ...

was chosen in a special election in California's 32nd congressional district; she declined to endorse any particular replacement candidate. Solis's confirmation hearings were held on January 9, 2009, before the

. Committee chair

Ted Kennedy Edward Moore Kennedy (February 22, 1932 – August 25, 2009) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Massachusetts for almost 47 years, from 1962 until his death in 2009. A member of the Democratic ...

repeatedly praised her, while despite some prodding from Republican members, Solis declined to discuss specific policy issues including the

. Several days later, Senate Republicans said they might try to put a procedural hold on her nomination, out of frustration with her unwillingness to answer questions during the hearings. Committee Republican

Mike Enzi Michael Bradley Enzi ( ; February 1, 1944 – July 26, 2021) was an American politician who served in the United States Senate from Wyoming as a member of the Republican Party from 1997 to 2021. Prior to his tenure in the United States Senate h ...

also pressed her on whether her unpaid but high-level positions at American Rights at Work constituted a prohibited lobbying activity; she said she had done no lobbying and was in violation of no rules of conduct. Solis did acknowledge that she had failed to report those positions on her annual House financial disclosure forms at the time, which the White House said was an unintentional oversight. After more time passed with no motion on her nomination, Obama appointed veteran Labor Department official Edward C. Hugler as Acting Secretary. The prolonged process was seen as foreshadowing continued battles between the Obama administration and Republicans over labor issues. Solis's confirmation process was then set to for a committee vote on February 5, but was postponed again after news that Solis' husband Sam Sayyad had just paid $6,400 in outstanding state and local tax liens for his auto repair business going back to 1993. Sayyad was sole proprietor of the business, filed a separate tax return from Solis, and intended to contest the lien as they were for business taxes he thought he had already paid. The White House said Solis should not be penalized for any mistakes that her husband may have made. The revelations came in the wake of several other Obama nominations troubled or derailed due to tax issues. Committee Republicans subsequently indicated they would not hold Solis to blame for the taxes situation, but were still concerned about her ties to American Rights at Work. On February 11, 2009, the committee finally supported her nomination by voice vote with two dissensions.

Thomas Perez (2013–2017)

On January 9, 2013, Hilda Solis announced she would not stay on for Obama's second term and that she was resigning. On March 18, 2013, President Obama nominated assistant U.S. Attorney General

Thomas Perez Thomas Edward Perez (born October 7, 1961) is an American politician and attorney who served as the Chair of the Democratic National Committee from February 2017 until January 2021. Perez was previously Assistant Attorney General for Civil Right ...

for labor secretary. Republicans opposed the nomination because they saw him as a "committed ideologue". On May 16, 2013, Perez's nomination was endorsed by the committee along party lines. The vote sent the nomination to the Senate floor. On July 18, 2013, Perez was confirmed as labor secretary after senators reached a deal to avert changing the chamber's rules with his nomination getting 60 votes to break the filibuster. The Senate ultimately confirmed Perez on a party-line vote, 54–46.

Secretary of Health and Human Services

The nomination of the

Secretary of Health and Human Services The United States secretary of health and human services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all health matters. The secretary is ...

is brought to the full Senate by the

, though the nominee also historically meets with the

United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions The United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) generally considers matters relating to these issues. Its jurisdiction also extends beyond these issues to include several more specific areas, as defined by Sena ...

Failed nomination of Tom Daschle (2009)

Former Senate Majority Leader

Tom Daschle Thomas Andrew Daschle ( ; born December 9, 1947) is an American politician and lobbyist who served as a United States senator from South Dakota from 1987 to 2005. A member of the Democratic Party, he became U.S. Senate Minority Leader in 1995 a ...

was President Obama's first nominee for the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Daschle was paid $220,000 in speaking fees to Healthcare providers, and was paid $16 million as an advisor to Healthcare lobbying groups in the time between his departure from the US Senate and his nomination. Daschle pulled his name from nomination on February 3, 2009.

Kathleen Sebelius (2009–2014)

On March 2, 2009, President

introduced Kansas Governor

Kathleen Sebelius Kathleen Sebelius (; née Gilligan, born May 15, 1948) is an American businesswoman and politician who served as the 21st United States secretary of Health and Human Services from 2009 until 2014. As Secretary of Health and Human Services, Sebel ...

as his choice to fill the office of Secretary of Health and Human Services. Sebelius was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 28, 2009, on a vote of 65–31 amid the swine flu health crisis. In April 2013, after the rocky start of HealthCare.gov, the website set up to enroll Americans in insurance exchanges, Sebelius decided to resign as Secretary as according to Sebelius the March 31, 2014, deadline for sign-ups under the health care law provided an opportunity for change so that Obama would be best served by someone who was not the target of so much political ire.

Sylvia Mathews Burwell (2014–2017)

After the resignation of Sebelius was announced, it was revealed that on April 11, 2014, President Obama would nominate Sylvia Mathews Burwell, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, to become Secretary of HHS. On June 5, 2014, Burwell was confirmed by the Senate in a 78–17 vote.

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

The nomination of the

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development The United States secretary of housing and urban development (or HUD secretary) is the head of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, a member of the president's Cabinet, and thirteenth in the presidential line of succe ...

is brought to the full Senate by the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

Shaun Donovan (2009–2014)

Shaun Donovan Shaun Lawrence Sarda Donovan (born January 24, 1966) is an American government official and housing specialist who served as United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2009 to 2014, and Director of the US Office of Management ...

was confirmed as

by the U.S. Senate on January 27, 2009, by unanimous consent. In May 2014, the resignation of Secretary Sebelius at HHS, caused a game of musical chairs, with OMB director Burwell being nominated to succeed Sebelius, which in turn on May 23, 2014, lead to the nomination of HUD Secretary Donovan to become the new director of the OMB.

Julian Castro (2014–2017)

After President Obama decided to nominate Secretary Donovan as the new Director of the OMB, on May 23, 2014, Obama nominated the mayor of

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_ ...

Julian Castro Julián Castro ( , ; born September 16, 1974) is an American lawyer and politician from San Antonio. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the youngest member of President Obama's cabinet, serving as the 16th United States Secretary of Ho ...

, to become the new Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. On July 9, 2014, the Senate voted to confirm Castro by a 71–26 vote, with 18 Republicans voting in favor of the nomination.

Secretary of Transportation

The nomination of the

Secretary of Transportation A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a wh ...

is brought to the full Senate by the

United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation The United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is a standing committee of the United States Senate. Besides having broad jurisdiction over all matters concerning interstate commerce, science and technology policy, ...

Ray LaHood (2009–2013)

On December 19, 2008, then-President-elect Barack Obama announced that he would nominate former Republican Congressman

Ray LaHood Raymond H. LaHood (born December 6, 1945) is an American politician who served as the 16th United States Secretary of Transportation from 2009 to 2013 under President Barack Obama. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served in the ...

to be the next Transportation Secretary. He was confirmed by a voice vote on January 23, 2009. President Obama said of LaHood "Few understand our infrastructure challenge better than the outstanding public servant that I'm asking to lead the Department of Transportation." LaHood's nomination was viewed with alarm among those concerned with climate change and suburban sprawl. His resume on transportation matters is seen as thin by many critics. He did not serve on the

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. History The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure was formerly known as the Committee on Public Works ...

at the time his selection was announced, although he had in the past. As a member of the

House Appropriations Committee The United States House Committee on Appropriations is a committee of the United States House of Representatives that is responsible for passing appropriation bills along with its Senate counterpart. The bills passed by the Appropriations Commi ...

he did not work on transportation funding. While picking LaHood drew praise for its bipartisan symbolism there was also a sense that LaHood's lack of expertise would diminish the department's role in 2009 major policy debates and leave him as more of a ceremonial figure.

James Oberstar James Louis Oberstar (September 10, 1934 – May 3, 2014) was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 2011. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, he represented nor ...

, the Democratic Congressman who chaired the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, was expected to hold more influence and will likely play a stronger leading role. Oberstar praised LaHood's "temperament" and "managerial talent," but when asked to cite an issue LaHood championed during his time on the Transportation Committee in the 1990s, Oberstar seemingly drew a blank. "I can't point to any specific legislation that he authored," he said. "He was a team player all the way through." Oberstar said LaHood would play a supporting role on tough policy calls. On January 29, 2013, LaHood announced that he would not stay on for Obama's second term and that he would resign upon the confirmation of his successor.

Anthony Foxx (2013–2017)

Anthony Foxx Anthony Renard Foxx (born April 30, 1971) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the United States Secretary of Transportation from 2013 to 2017. President Barack Obama nominated him in April 2013, and he was confirmed by a 100–0 v ...

, Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina was nominated by President Barack Obama on April 29, 2013, to succeed Ray LaHood. On June 10, 2013, the Commerce, Science and Technology Committee unanimously approved Foxx's nomination. On June 27, 2013, Foxx was unanimously (100–0) confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Foxx was sworn in on July 2, as the 17th Secretary of Transportation.

Secretary of Energy

The nomination of the

Secretary of Energy The United States secretary of energy is the head of the United States Department of Energy, a member of the Cabinet of the United States, and fifteenth in the presidential line of succession. The position was created on October 1, 1977, when Pr ...

is brought to the full US Senate by the

Energy and Natural Resources Committee The United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over matters related to energy and mineral resources, including nuclear development; irrigation and recla ...

Steven Chu (2009–2013)

Nobel Prize–winning scientist

Steven Chu Steven ChuU.S. Senate on January 20, 2009. On January 21, 2009, Chu was sworn in as Secretary of Energy in the Barack Obama administration. Chu is the first person appointed to the Cabinet after having won a Nobel Prize. He is also the second Chinese American to be a member of the

after

Elaine Chao Elaine Lan Chao (born March 26, 1953) is an American businesswoman and former government official. A member of the Republican Party, she served as the 18th United States secretary of transportation in the Trump administration from 2017 to 2021, ...

Ernest Moniz (2013–2017)

On February 1, 2013, Secretary Chu announced his resignation pending the confirmation of a successor. On March 4, 2013, President Obama announced he was nominating

Ernest Moniz Ernest Jeffrey Moniz, GCIH (; born December 22, 1944) is an American nuclear physicist and former government official. From May 2013 to January 2017, he served as the 13th United States secretary of Energy in the Obama Administration. Prior to ...

as Secretary of Energy for his second term. On April 18, 2013, the Senate

voted 21–1 to approve the nomination of Moniz. On May 16, 2013, Moniz was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Secretary of Education

The nomination of the

Secretary of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...

is brought to the full Senate through the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Arne Duncan Arne Starkey Duncan (born November 6, 1964) is an American educator who served as United States Secretary of Education from 2009 to 2015 and as Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools from 2001 to 2008. A lifelong resident of Chicago, D ...

was confirmed as

on January 21, 2009, by a voice vote.

Arne Duncan (2009–2015)

President Obama nominated

on December 16, 2008, to be his Secretary of Education. In a prepared statement Obama praised Duncan's skills stating "For Arne, school reform isn't just a theory in a book – it's the cause of his life. And the results aren't just about test scores or statistics, but about whether our children are developing the skills they need to compete with any worker in the world for any job." Duncan received broad bipartisan support during his confirmation hearing in front of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on January 13, 2009. Senator

Tom Harkin Thomas Richard Harkin (born November 19, 1939) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as a United States senator from Iowa from 1985 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously was the U.S. representative for Io ...

(D-Iowa) said of Duncan, "there is no question that schools across America can benefit from the same kind of fresh thinking that (he) brought to Chicago public schools." On October 2, 2015, Duncan announced he would be stepping down as Secretary at the close of 2015.

John King Jr. (2016–2017)

Upon the announcement of Duncan's stepping down, President Obama announced his intention to nominate Deputy Secretary of Education John King Jr. as the new Secretary of Education. On March 14, 2016, King was approved to be Secretary of Education by the

after a 49–40 vote.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs

The nomination of the

Secretary of Veterans Affairs The United States secretary of veterans affairs is the head of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the department concerned with veterans' benefits, health care, and national veterans' memorials and cemeteries. The secretary is a me ...

is brought to the full Senate by the

United States Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs The United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs deals with oversight of United States veterans problems and issues. Description The committee was created in 1970 to transfer responsibilities for veterans from the Finance and Labor commi ...

Eric Shinseki (2009–2014)

Eric Shinseki Eric Ken Shinseki (; born November 28, 1942) is a retired United States Army general who served as the seventh United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2009–2014). His final United States Army post was as the 34th Chief of Staff of the Arm ...

was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on a voice vote and assumed the office of

on January 20, 2009. On May 30, 2014, President Obama announced that he had accepted Shinseki's resignation as secretary.

Robert McDonald (2014–2017)

On June 29, 2014, it was reported that U.S. President

would nominate former Procter & Gamble executive

Robert A. McDonald Robert Alan McDonald (born June 20, 1953) served as the eighth United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs. He is the retired chairman, president, and CEO of Procter & Gamble. In 2014 he became Secretary of Veterans Affairs.Eric Shinseki Eric Ken Shinseki (; born November 28, 1942) is a retired United States Army general who served as the seventh United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2009–2014). His final United States Army post was as the 34th Chief of Staff of the Arm ...

as the

. On July 23, 2014, the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs backed McDonald 14–0, sending his nomination to the Senate floor. On July 29, 2014, the Senate confirmed McDonald in a 97–0 vote.

Secretary of Homeland Security

The nomination of the

Secretary of Homeland Security The United States secretary of homeland security is the head of the United States Department of Homeland Security, the federal department tasked with ensuring public safety in the United States. The secretary is a member of the Cabinet of the U ...

is brought to the

United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs The United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is the chief oversight committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over matters related to the Department of Homeland Security and other homeland s ...

Janet Napolitano (2009–2013)

Janet Napolitano Janet Ann Napolitano (; born November 29, 1957) is an American politician, lawyer, and university administrator who served as the 21st governor of Arizona from 2003 to 2009 and third United States secretary of homeland security from 2009 to 20 ...

was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on a voice vote and assumed the office of

on January 21, 2009. On November 5, 2008, Napolitano was named to the advisory board of the

Obama-Biden Transition Project The 2008 presidential campaign of Barack Obama began on February 10, 2007, when Barack Obama, then junior United States senator from Illinois, announced his candidacy for President of the United States in Springfield, Illinois. After winning a ...

. On December 1, 2008,

introduced Napolitano as his nominee to head the

United States Department of Homeland Security The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior or home ministries of other countries. Its stated missions involve anti-ter ...

(DHS). On January 20, 2009, Napolitano was confirmed, becoming the first woman appointed Secretary in the relatively new department. Secretary of State

Jan Brewer Janice Kay Brewer (''née'' Drinkwine, formerly Warren; born September 26, 1944) is an American politician and author who was the 22nd governor of Arizona from 2009 to 2015. A member of the Republican Party, Brewer is the fourth woman (and was ...

became the governor of Arizona, as the state does not have a

lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

. On July 12, 2013, Napolitano announced she was resigning to take a position as President of the

University of California The University of California (UC) is a public land-grant research university system in the U.S. state of California. The system is composed of the campuses at Berkeley, Davis, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, University of Califor ...

. Her resignation as Secretary of Homeland Security took effect on September 6, 2013, and

Rand Beers Rand Beers (born November 30, 1942) is an American government official. He served as Deputy Homeland Security Advisor to the President of the United States during the Barack Obama administration. He also served as acting Secretary of Homeland Sec ...

served as Acting Secretary from that date until

Jeh Johnson Jeh Charles Johnson ( "Jay"; born September 11, 1957) is an American lawyer and former government official. He was United States Secretary of Homeland Security from 2013 to 2017. From 2009 to 2012, Johnson was the general counsel of the Departm ...

's confirmation as Secretary in December. Beers had been then-Acting

Deputy Secretary Deputy or depute may refer to: * Steward (office) * Khalifa, an Arabic title that can signify "deputy" * Deputy (legislator), a legislator in many countries and regions, including: ** A member of a Chamber of Deputies, for example in Italy, Spain ...

and he retained his Senate-confirmation in the position immediately below, as Under Secretary of Homeland Security for National Protection and Programs; Beers left DHS on March 6, 2014, to join the

White House staff The Executive Office of the President (EOP) comprises the offices and agencies that support the work of the president at the center of the executive branch of the United States federal government. The EOP consists of several offices and agenc ...

Jeh Johnson (2013–2017)

On October 17, 2013, President Obama announced his intention to nominate former Pentagon official

as Secretary of Homeland Security. On December 16, 2013, Johnson was confirmed by the Senate in a 78–16 vote.

Confirmation roll call votes

For comparison,

¶ Confirmations before June 2009

The below is a list of confirmations that were approved through the Senate from January to May 2009, by a recorded roll-call vote, rather than by a

voice vote In parliamentary procedure, a voice vote (from the Latin ''viva voce'', meaning "live voice") or acclamation is a voting method in deliberative assemblies (such as legislatures) in which a group vote is taken on a topic or motion by responding vo ...

. Notes and Key : All dates are in 2009. For later votes, see the table below.
* ''Att'y-Gen.'' = Attorney-General of the United States;
* ''Trade'' =

U.S. Trade Representative The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is an agency of the United States federal government responsible for developing and promoting American trade policy. Part of the Executive Office of the President, it is headed by the ...

;
* ''Health'' =

;
* ''Drug Policy'' = Director of the

Office of National Drug Control Policy The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is a component of the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The Director of the ONDCP, colloquially known as the Drug Czar, heads the office. "Drug Czar" was a term first used i ...

— before confirmation, this post was removed from Cabinet-level status;
D = Democratic; R =

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

; Ind. =

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independe ...

; Ind. D = independent Democratic ;
R→D = moved from Republican to Democratic caucus on April 29–30, 2009 ;
— = seat vacant at the time of this vote.
Sources:''
United States Senate''The Washington Post''

¶ Confirmations after June 2009

Cabinet-level

President Obama has included members of his cabinet that are not traditionally considered members of the Cabinet.

Chief of Staff

Barack Obama and Rahm Emanuel in the Oval Office

On November 6, 2008,

Rahm Emanuel Rahm Israel Emanuel (; born November 29, 1959) is an American politician and diplomat who is the current United States Ambassador to Japan. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served two terms as the 55th Mayor of Chicago from 2011 ...

accepted the Cabinet-level position of White House Chief of Staff under

. He resigned his congressional seat effective January 2, 2009. A special primary to fill his vacated congressional seat was held on March 3, 2009, and the special general election was held on April 7, 2009. Chicago newspapers reported that one candidate for that seat said at a forum that Emanuel had told him he may be interested in running for the seat again in the future. Some Republican leaders criticized

's appointment because they believed it went against Obama's promises to make politics less divisive, given Emanuel's reputation as a partisan Democrat. Republican

disagreed, saying: "This is a wise choice by President-elect Obama. He's tough but fair – honest, direct and candid." Ira Forman, executive director of the

National Jewish Democratic Council The National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC) was a political lobbying organization that advocated within the Democratic Party for viewpoints aligned with the American Jewish community and in support of the state of Israel, and within the politi ...

, said that the choice indicates that Obama will not listen to the wrong people regarding the U.S.–Israel relationship. Some commentators opined that Emanuel would be good for the

Israeli–Palestinian peace process The Israeli–Palestinian peace process refers to the intermittent discussions held by various parties and proposals put forward in an attempt to resolve the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Since the 1970s, there has been a parallel ef ...

because if Israeli leaders make excuses for not dismantling settlements, Emanuel will be tough and pressure the Israelis to comply. Some Palestinians and Arabs expressed dismay at Obama's appointment of Emanuel.

Ali Abunimah Ali Hasan Abunimah ( ar, علي حسن ابو نعمة, Arabic: ; born December 29, 1971) is a Palestinian-American journalist who has been described as "the leading American proponent of a one-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian confl ...

of the Electronic Intifada said that Obama's appointment of Emanuel sent the signal he would not be taking "more balanced, more objective, more realistic advice that could change the course from the disastrous Palestine-Israel policies of the Bush and Clinton administrations." Emanuel said that Obama did not need his influence to "orientate his policy toward Israel". Emanuel left office on October 1, 2010, to be replaced on an interim basis by

Pete Rouse Peter Mikami Rouse (born April 15, 1946) is an American political consultant who served as interim White House Chief of Staff to U.S. President Barack Obama. Rouse previously spent many years on Capitol Hill, becoming known as the "101st senator ...

, and was elected

Mayor of Chicago The mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of city government in Chicago, Illinois, the third-largest city in the United States. The mayor is responsible for the administration and management of various city departments, submits proposals and ...

the following February. William M. Daley became White House Chief of Staff on January 13, 2011, when interim Chief

was made legal

Counselor to the President Counselor or counsellor may refer to: A professional In diplomacy and government * Counsellor of State, senior member of the British royal family to whom the Monarch can delegate some functions in case of unavailability * Counselor (dip ...

. A year later, on January 9, 2012, Daley announced his intention to retire in favor of

Jack Lew Jacob Joseph Lew (born August 29, 1955) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 76th United States Secretary of the Treasury from 2013 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he also served as the 25th White House Chief of St ...

(Budget Director since November 2010). Lew took office on January 27, 2012, but he, too, left the job a year later (on January 25, 2013) when he was nominated to be Secretary of the Treasury (see above). From January 25, 2013, until January 20, 2017, the Chief of Staff was Denis McDonough, formerly the

Deputy National Security Advisor The United States Deputy National Security Advisor is a member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and the United States National Security Council, serving under the President's National Security Advisor. Among other res ...

Director of the Office of the Budget

Peter Orszag (2009–2010)

On November 25, 2008, President-elect

announced that Peter R. Orszag would be his nominee for director of the

Office of Management and Budget The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, but it also examines agency programs, pol ...

, the arm of the White House responsible for crafting the federal budget and overseeing the effectiveness of federal programs. At 40, he was the youngest member of the Obama Cabinet, as the president upgraded the Director of OMB to cabinet-level priority.

Jack Lew (2010–2012)

Orszag resigned, effective from July 30, 2010. On July 13, 2010, the White House announced that

had been chosen to replace Orszag as Director of OMB, subject to Senate confirmation. During confirmation hearings in the Senate, in response to questioning by Senator

Bernie Sanders Bernard Sanders (born September8, 1941) is an American politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Vermont since 2007. He was the U.S. representative for the state's at-large congressional district from 1991 to 20 ...

(I-VT), Lew said that he did not believe deregulation was a "proximate cause" of the

: Lew told the panel that "the problems in the financial industry preceded deregulation," and after discussing those issues, added that he didn't "personally know the extent to which deregulation drove it, but I don't believe that deregulation was the proximate cause." On November 18, 2010, Lew was confirmed by the Senate by

unanimous consent In parliamentary procedure, unanimous consent, also known as general consent, or in the case of the parliaments under the Westminster system, leave of the house (or leave of the senate), is a situation in which no member present objects to a prop ...

. Jack Lew served from November 18, 2010 – January 27, 2012, when he resigned to become Obama's White House Chief of Staff. Following Lew's resignation,

Jeffrey Zients Jeffrey Dunston Zients (born November 12, 1966) is an American business executive and government official who served as Counselor to the President and the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator from January 2021 to April 2022. He was the ...

served as Acting OMB Director until Sylvia Mathews Burwell's confirmation 15 months later.

Sylvia Mathews Burwell (2013–2014)

On March 3, 2013, it was announced that President Obama nominated Sylvia Mathews Burwell to head the OMB. On April 24, 2013, the U.S. Senate confirmed Burwell 96–0.

Shaun Donovan (2014–2017)

In May 2014, the resignation of Secretary Sebelius at HHS, caused a game of musical chairs, with OMB director Burwell being nominated to succeed Sebelius, which in turn on May 23, 2014, lead to the nomination of HUD Secretary Donovan to become the new director of the OMB. On July 10, 2014, Donovan was confirmed as Director of the OMB in a 75–22 vote.

Ambassador to the United Nations

Susan Rice (2009–2013)

On November 5, 2008,

Susan Rice Susan Elizabeth Rice (born November 17, 1964) is an American diplomat, policy advisor, and public official serving as Director of the United States Domestic Policy Council since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Rice served as the 27th U.S ...

was named to the advisory board of the

. On December 1, 2008, she was nominated by President-elect Obama to be the

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations The United States ambassador to the United Nations is the leader of the U.S. delegation, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. The position is formally known as the permanent representative of the United States of America to the United Nations ...

, a position which he also upgraded to cabinet level. Rice is the second youngest and the first African American woman US Representative to the UN. Dr. Rice announced that she would have both a transition team in place in New York and in Washington, DC at the State Department to be headed by

. Rice was confirmed by the Senate by voice vote on January 22, 2009.

Samantha Power (2013–2017)

On June 5, 2013, President Obama announced that he would appoint Susan Rice as

National Security Advisor A national security advisor serves as the chief advisor to a national government on matters of security. The advisor is not usually a member of the government's cabinet but is usually a member of various military or security councils. National sec ...

in succession to

Tom Donilon Thomas Edward Donilon (born May 14, 1955) is an American lawyer, business executive, and former government official who served as the 22nd National Security Advisor in the Obama administration from 2010 to 2013.

. Rice in turn would be replaced as Ambassador to the United Nations by Samantha Power.Donilon to Resign as National Security Advisor
'

'', Mark Landler Published: June 5, 2013. On July 23, 2013, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved Power's nomination. On August 1, 2013, the Senate confirmed Power in an 87–10 vote.

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

Lisa P. Jackson (2009–2013)

On December 15, 2008, President-Elect

officially designated Lisa P. Jackson as the nominee for

Administrator Administrator or admin may refer to: Job roles Computing and internet * Database administrator, a person who is responsible for the environmental aspects of a database * Forum administrator, one who oversees discussions on an Internet forum * N ...

of the

Environmental Protection Agency A biophysical environment is a biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism or population, and consequently includes the factors that have an influence in their survival, development, and evolution. A biophysical environment can vary in scale ...

. She was confirmed through unanimous consent of the U.S. Senate on January 23, 2009. Jackson is the first African American to serve as EPA Administrator, along with being the fourth woman and second New Jerseyan to hold the position.

Gina McCarthy (2013–2017)

Lisa Jackson decided not to stay for Obama's second term. On March 4, 2013, President Obama announced he was nominating

Gina McCarthy Regina McCarthy (born May 3, 1954) is an American air quality expert who served as the first White House national climate advisor from 2021 to 2022. She previously served as the thirteenth Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency f ...

as EPA Administrator for his second term. On May 9, 2013, all eight Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee boycotted the panel in order to deny a vote on Gina McCarthy's nomination to head the EPA. On May 16, 2013, McCarthy's nomination was endorsed by the committee along party lines. The vote sends McCarthy's nomination to the Senate floor. However, Sen.

Roy Blunt Roy Dean Blunt (born January 10, 1950) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator for Missouri, a seat he was first elected to in 2010. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 33rd Missouri Secr ...

(R-Mo.) placed a hold on her nomination which had to be withdrawn before a floor vote occurred. On July 18, 2013, McCarthy was confirmed as EPA administrator after senators reached a deal to avert changing the chamber's rules and which saw the Senate vote to move forward with a vote on McCarthy, with her nomination getting 69 votes to break the filibuster. The Senate ultimately confirmed McCarthy on a 59–40 vote.

Trade Representative

Ron Kirk (2009–2013)

Although there was speculation that

Ron Kirk Ronald Kirk (born June 27, 1954) is an American lawyer, politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the United States Trade Representative from 2009 to 2013 and the 57th Mayor of Dallas from 1995 to 2002. Born in Austin, Texas, ...

would be appointed Secretary of Transportation by President Obama, he was given the position of Trade Representative. As a supporter of the

North American Free Trade Agreement The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA ; es, Tratado de Libre Comercio de América del Norte, TLCAN; french: Accord de libre-échange nord-américain, ALÉNA) was an agreement signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States that crea ...

, his selection has drawn concern from advocates of fair trade policies. On January 22, 2013, Kirk announced that he would be stepping down as U.S. Trade Rep. His resignation became effective March 15, 2013.

Michael Froman (2013–2017)

On May 2, 2013, President Obama announced the nomination of deputy national security adviser for international economics

Michael Froman Michael Braverman Goodman Froman (born August 20, 1962) is an American lawyer who served as the U.S. Trade Representative from 2013 to 2017. He was Assistant to the President of the United States and Deputy National Security Advisor for Internatio ...

as Trade Representative. On June 11, 2013, the Senate Finance Committee approved Froman's nomination. On June 19, 2013, Froman was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a 93 to 4 vote.

Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers

Christina Romer (2009–2010)

On November 24, 2008, President

designated

Christina Romer Christina Duckworth Romer (née Duckworth; born December 25, 1958) is the Class of 1957 Garff B. Wilson Professor of Economics at the University of California, Berkeley and a former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers in the Obama administ ...

as Chair of the

Council of Economic Advisers The Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) is a United States agency within the Executive Office of the President established in 1946, which advises the President of the United States on economic policy. The CEA provides much of the empirical rese ...

upon the start of his administration. After her nomination and before the Obama administration took office, Romer was tasked with co-authoring the administration's plan to recover from the 2008 recession. With economist

Jared Bernstein Jared Bernstein (born 1955) is an American economist. He is a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. From 2009 to 2011, Bernstein was the chief economist and economic adviser to Vice President Joe Biden in the Obama Admini ...

, Romer co-authored Obama's plan for economic recovery. In a video presentation, she discussed details of the job-creation package that the Obama administration submitted to Congress.

Austan Goolsbee (2010–2011)

Romer resigned in September 2010 to return to positions in academia. Austan Goolsbee was designated chair of the Council on September 10, 2010, succeeding

. On June 6, 2011, Goolsbee announced that he would return to the University of Chicago, claiming that the economy was "a million miles from where it started". He was expected to play an informal role from Chicago in Obama's 2012 campaign. Goolsbee's resignation became effective August 5, 2011.

Alan Krueger (2011–2013)

On August 29, 2011, Alan Krueger was nominated by Obama to be chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, and on November 3, 2011, the Senate unanimously confirmed his nomination.

Jason Furman (2013–2017)

As Krueger had to return to Princeton University in the fall of 2013 or face the prospect of losing tenure, he chose to resign as chair. On June 10, 2013,

Jason Furman Jason Furman (born August 18, 1970) is an American economist and professor at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. On June 10, 2013, Furman was named ...

was named by President Barack Obama as Chairman of the

Council of Economic Advisors The Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) is a United States agency within the Executive Office of the President established in 1946, which advises the President of the United States on economic policy. The CEA provides much of the empirical resea ...

(CEA). On August 1, 2013, the Senate confirmed Furman.

Administrator of the Small Business Administration

Karen Mills (2009–2013)

Karen Mills Karen Gordon Mills (born September 14, 1953) is an American businessperson and former government official who served as the 23rd Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). She was nominated by President-elect Barack Obama on D ...

was nominated by President-elect

on December 19, 2008, confirmed unanimously by the Senate on April 2, 2009, and sworn in on April 6, 2009. During her tenure, in 2012 her office was elevated to the rank of Cabinet-level officer, expanding her power on policy decisions and granting her access to cabinet meetings. On February 11, 2013, Mills announced her resignation as Administrator of the SBA.

Maria Contreras-Sweet (2014–2017)

On January 15, 2014,

Maria Contreras-Sweet Maria Contreras-Sweet (born 1955) is an American businesswoman and former government official who served as the 24th Administrator of the Small Business Administration from 2014 to 2017. She was the executive chairwoman and founder of ProAmérica ...

was nominated by President

to join his Cabinet as head of the

Small Business Administration The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent agency of the United States government that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission of the Small Business Administration is "to maintain and stre ...

.Eilperin, Juliet (January 14, 2014)
Obama picks Maria Contreras-Sweet to head SBA
''The Washington Post''. Contreras-Sweet was confirmed as the

Administrator of the Small Business Administration The administrator of the Small Business Administration is the head of the Small Business Administration of the United States Government. President Barack Obama announced in January 2012 that he would elevate the SBA administrator into the Cabine ...

on March 27, 2014. She assumed role of her position as

on April 7, 2014.

Formerly Cabinet-level

Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy

On February 11, 2009, it was reported that

Gil Kerlikowske Richard Gil Kerlikowske (born November 23, 1949) is a former Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He assumed office on March 6, 2014 and retired January 20, 2017. He also served as the Director of the Office of National Drug Cont ...

had accepted an offer by President Obama to become

Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is a component of the Executive Office of the President of the United States. The Director of the ONDCP, colloquially known as the Drug Czar, heads the office. "Drug Czar" was a term first used ...

, succeeding

John P. Walters John P. Walters (born February 8, 1952) is the president and chief executive officer of Hudson Institute. He was appointed in January 2021. He joined Hudson in 2009 as the executive vice president and most recently was the chief operating office ...

. On May 7, 2009, the Senate confirmed Kerlikowske's nomination by a vote of 91–1. However, prior to Kerlikowske's nomination, the position was downgraded from a Cabinet-level position to a non-Cabinet-level position.

References

External links

List of Cabinet and Cabinet Level Officers at White House website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obama, Barack, Cabinet, Confirmations of Cabinet of United States Presidents Cabinets established in 2009 Cabinets disestablished in 2017