Secretary of State of the United States
Information about Secretary of State of the United States
| United States Secretary of State | ||||
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| First Secretary of State: | ||||
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1. ^ In addition to the President listed, this Secretary of State served for a brief period of time (eight days or less) under that President's successor until a replacement could be named and confirmed. | |||
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet. He or she is the highest ranked cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence.
History
On January 13, 1781, the Second Continental Congress created the office of Secretary of Foreign Affairs to head a "Department of Foreign Affairs". On July 27, 1789, George Washington signed a congressional bill into law reauthorizing an executive Department of Foreign Affairs headed by a Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Congress then passed another law giving certain additional domestic responsibilities to the new Department and changing its name to the Department of State and the name of head of the department to the Secretary of State, and Washington approved this act on September 15, 1789. The new domestic duties assigned to the newly renamed department were receipt, publication, distribution, and preservation of laws of the United States, custody of the Great Seal of the United States, authentication of copies and preparation of commissions of executive branch appointments, and finally custody of the books, papers, and records of the Continental Congress including the Constitution itself and the Declaration of Independence.The title of Secretary of State is British in origin. At the time of American independence, "Secretary of State" was a title given to senior members of the King's cabinet (e.g., "Secretary of State in Charge of Colonies"). The position of "Secretary of State of the United States" was thus intended to be the most general and important office in the U.S. government, after the Presidency.
Particularly in the early years of the republic, the post was regarded as a natural stepping-stone to the Presidency. Secretaries of State who later occupied the White House included Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren and James Buchanan. Secretaries who unsuccessfully ran for President (either before or after their service at the State Department) were Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun, William H. Seward, James G. Blaine, Walter Q. Gresham, John Sherman, Elihu Root, William Jennings Bryan, Charles Evans Hughes and Edmund Muskie.
The current Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, has been mentioned as a Presidential or Vice Presidential prospect, although she has denied any such ambition.
Functions
Most of the non-original domestic functions of the Department of State have been transferred to other agencies. Those that remain in the Department are: storage and use of the Great Seal of the United States, performance of protocol functions for the White House, drafting of certain proclamations, formally accepting notice of the president's resignation, and replies to inquiries. In addition, the Secretary performs such duties as the President is required, in accordance with the United States Constitution, relating to correspondence, commission, or instructions to U.S. or consuls abroad, and to conduct negotiations with foreign representatives. The Secretary has also served as principal adviser to the President in the determination of U.S. foreign policy and in recent decades has become responsible for overall direction, coordination, and supervision of interdepartmental activities of the U.S. Government overseas, excepting certain military activities.As the highest-ranking Cabinet member, the Secretary of State is fourth in line to succeed the Presidency, after the Vice President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and President pro tempore of the Senate. (See United States presidential line of succession.)
Federal law provides that resignation from the Presidency is effected only by written communication from the President to the Secretary of State. (3 U.S.C. Section 20). This has only occurred once, when President Richard Nixon resigned in August 1974 via a letter to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
List of Secretaries of State
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List of Acting Secretaries of State
When there is a vacancy as Secretary, the United States Assistant Secretary of State or the United States Deputy Secretary of State serves as Acting Secretary of State until the President nominates and the United States Senate confirms a new Secretary.See also
- United States Deputy Secretary of State
- United States Assistant Secretary of State
- United States Second Assistant Secretary of State
References
- Secretaries of State, 1791-2005. United States Department of State (2005). Retrieved on 2006-04-09.
External links
- The Department of State's organization page.
- The Department of State's list of current or former positions and titles.
- The Department of State's list of Secretaries of State
United States Secretaries of State | |
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| Jefferson • Randolph • Pickering • J Marshall • Madison • Smith • Monroe • Adams • Clay • Van Buren • Livingston • McLane • Forsyth • Webster • Upshur • Calhoun • Buchanan • Clayton • Webster • Everett • Marcy • Cass • Black • Seward • Washburne • Fish • Evarts • Blaine • Frelinghuysen • Bayard • Blaine • Foster • Gresham • Olney • Sherman • Day • Hay • Root • Bacon • Knox • Bryan • Lansing • Colby • Hughes • Kellogg • Stimson • Hull • Stettinius • Byrnes • G Marshall • Acheson • Dulles • Herter • Rusk • Rogers • Kissinger • Vance • Muskie • Haig • Shultz • Baker • Eagleburger • Christopher • Albright • Powell • Rice | ) |
Leaders of the United States Federal Executive Departments |
|---|
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Agriculture • Commerce • Defense • Education • Energy • Health and Human Services • Homeland Security • Housing and Urban Development • Interior • Justice • Labor • State • Transportation • Treasury • Veterans Affairs
Past department leaders: Commerce and Labor • Health, Education, and Welfare • Navy • Post Office • War |
Condoleezza Rice (born November 14 1954) is the 66th United States Secretary of State, and the second in the administration of President George W. Bush to hold the office. Rice is the first African American woman, second African American (after Colin Powell, who served before her
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United States
Department of State
Seal of the United States Department of State
Agency overview
Formed July 27, 1789
Headquarters Harry S Truman Building
Employees 30,266 (2004)
Annual Budget $35.
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Department of State
Seal of the United States Department of State
Agency overview
Formed July 27, 1789
Headquarters Harry S Truman Building
Employees 30,266 (2004)
Annual Budget $35.
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Foreign Affairs
Type Bi-monthly Journal
Format Scholarly Journal
Owner Council on Foreign Relations
Editor James F. Hoge, Jr.
Founded 1922
Headquarters New York
Circulation 200,000
Website: http://www.foreignaffairs.
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Type Bi-monthly Journal
Format Scholarly Journal
Owner Council on Foreign Relations
Editor James F. Hoge, Jr.
Founded 1922
Headquarters New York
Circulation 200,000
Website: http://www.foreignaffairs.
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United States of America
This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
the United States
Federal government
Constitution
Taxation
President Vice President
Cabinet
Congress
Senate
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This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
the United States
Federal government
Constitution
Taxation
President Vice President
Cabinet
Congress
Senate
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presidential line of succession defines who may become or act as President of the United States upon the incapacity, death, resignation, or removal from office (by impeachment and subsequent conviction) of a sitting president or a president-elect.
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Orders of precedence
Australia Brazil Canada People's Republic of China
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Australia Brazil Canada People's Republic of China
- Hong Kong
- England and Wales
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January 13 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.
It is still celebrated as New Year's Eve by those on the Julian calendar (Old New Year).
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It is still celebrated as New Year's Eve by those on the Julian calendar (Old New Year).
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8th century - 9th century - 10th century
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The Continental Congress was the first national government of the United States. It comprised two successive bodies of representatives of provinces of the Thirteen Colonies in 18th century British North America:
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- The First Continental Congress
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The United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs was a position that existed in the United States government from January 10, 1781 to September 15, 1789.
The Articles of Confederation permitted the Continental Congress to select "such committees and civil officers as may be
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The Articles of Confederation permitted the Continental Congress to select "such committees and civil officers as may be
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July 27 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.
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Events
- 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England.
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8th century - 9th century - 10th century
850s 860s 870s - 880s - 890s 900s 910s
885 886 887 - 888 - 889 890 891
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Subjects: Archaeology - Architecture -
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850s 860s 870s - 880s - 890s 900s 910s
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George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1][2] was a central, critical figure in the founding of the United States of America, as well as the nation's first president (1789–1797).
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United States Congress
Type Bicameral
Houses Senate
House of Representatives
President of the Senate
President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R)
since January 20, 2001
Robert C.
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Type Bicameral
Houses Senate
House of Representatives
President of the Senate
President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R)
since January 20, 2001
Robert C.
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September 15 is the 1st day of the year (2nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 0 days remaining.
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Events
- 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse, Italy.
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8th century - 9th century - 10th century
850s 860s 870s - 880s - 890s 900s 910s
885 886 887 - 888 - 889 890 891
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Subjects: Archaeology - Architecture -
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850s 860s 870s - 880s - 890s 900s 910s
885 886 887 - 888 - 889 890 891
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Subjects: Archaeology - Architecture -
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The Great Seal of the United States is used to authenticate certain documents issued by the United States government. The phrase is used both for the physical seal itself (which is in the keeping of the U.S.
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The Continental Congress was the first national government of the United States. It comprised two successive bodies of representatives of provinces of the Thirteen Colonies in 18th century British North America:
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- The First Continental Congress
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The United States Declaration of Independence was an act of the Second Continental Congress, adopted on July 4, 1776, which declared that the Thirteen Colonies in North America were "Free and Independent States" and that "all political connection between them and the State of
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Secretary of State is a commonly used title for a government official. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the government.
In many countries, a secretary of state is a mid-level official.
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In many countries, a secretary of state is a mid-level official.
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cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council or an Executive Committee.
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President is a title held by many leaders of organizations, companies, trade unions, universities, and countries. Etymologically, a "president" is one who presides , who sits in leadership (from Latin prae- "before" + sedere "to sit"; giving the term
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republic, for all other uses see: republic (disambiguation)
List of forms of government
List of forms of government
- Anarchism
- Aristocracy
- Authoritarianism
- Autocracy
- Communist state
- Democracy
- Direct democracy
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North façade of the White House, seen from Pennsylvania Avenue. Before construction of the north portico in 1824, the north façade looked similar to Leinster House shown in the picture below.
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James Madison (March 16 1751 – June 28 1836), was an American politician and the fourth President of the United States (1809–1817), and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
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James Monroe (April 28, 1758 – July 4, 1831) was the fifth President of the United States (1817-1825), and the fourth Virginian to hold the office. Monroe, a close ally of Thomas Jefferson, was a diplomat who supported the French Revolution.
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John Quincy Adams (July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was a diplomat, politician, and the sixth President of the United States (March 4, 1825 – March 4, 1829). His party affiliations were Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and
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Martin Van Buren (December 5 1782 – July 24 1862), nicknamed Old Kinderhook, was the eighth President of the United States from 1837 to 1841. Before his presidency he served as the eighth Vice President (1833-1837) and the 10th Secretary of State under Andrew Jackson.
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