United States Secretary of Health and Human Services

United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, a principal member of the Cabinet of the United States, and twelfth in the United States presidential line of succession. The secretary is appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the United States Senate and oversees a vast federal agency responsible for public health, social services, and biomedical research. Key responsibilities include administering major programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the Food and Drug Administration, while advising the White House on health policy.

History and creation

The position was formally established on May 4, 1980, when the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was reorganized under the Department of Education Organization Act. This legislation, signed by President Jimmy Carter, split the former department, creating the separate United States Department of Education and renaming the remainder as the United States Department of Health and Human Services. The first secretary of the newly configured department was Patricia Roberts Harris, who had previously served as the final United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. This reorganization followed years of political debate about the size and scope of the federal Great Society programs established under President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Appointment and succession

The secretary is nominated by the President of the United States and must be confirmed by a majority vote in the United States Senate, typically following hearings before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. There is no fixed term of office, and the secretary serves at the pleasure of the president. The secretary is twelfth in the United States presidential line of succession, a placement established by the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. In the secretary's absence, the United States Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services acts as the department's chief operating officer. The role has been held by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including former governors like Tommy Thompson and members of the United States House of Representatives like Xavier Becerra.

Duties and responsibilities

The secretary leads the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the largest federal departments, with a budget exceeding one trillion dollars. Core duties include overseeing the administration of the Medicare program for seniors and the Medicaid program for low-income individuals, both managed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The secretary also has regulatory authority over the Food and Drug Administration, which ensures the safety of drugs and food, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the nation's premier public health agency. Other critical components under the secretary's purview include the National Institutes of Health, the Administration for Children and Families, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The secretary is the president's chief advisor on public health emergencies, as demonstrated during the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic.

List of secretaries

Since the department's creation, secretaries have been appointed by presidents from both major political parties. The first secretary, Patricia Roberts Harris, served under President Jimmy Carter. Notable secretaries include Louis Wade Sullivan, who served under President George H. W. Bush and founded the Morehouse School of Medicine; Donna Shalala, the longest-serving secretary who served all eight years under President Bill Clinton; and Tommy Thompson, the former Governor of Wisconsin who served under President George W. Bush. Under President Barack Obama, the department was led by Kathleen Sebelius during the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The first secretary of Hispanic descent, Xavier Becerra, was confirmed under President Joe Biden.

Office and staff

The secretary's primary office is located in the Hubert H. Humphrey Building in Washington, D.C.. The secretary is supported by a large staff and a senior leadership team that includes the United States Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services, multiple assistant secretaries, and the department's general counsel. Key staff offices include the Office of the Secretary, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. The secretary also works closely with the heads of the department's eleven operating divisions, such as the Surgeon General of the United States and the director of the National Institutes of Health. The department's operations are coordinated through regional offices across the country, including in cities like Atlanta, Chicago, and San Francisco.

Category:United States Secretaries of Health and Human Services Category:United States Department of Health and Human Services Category:Health in the United States