Congressional Relations with the Cabinet

Congressional Relations with the Cabinet

Primary Sources

Bush, George W. Remarks by the President and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld Swearing-In Ceremony.The White House, Washington, D.C., January 26, 2001.

President Bush (R, 2001-2009) congratulates Secretary Rumsfeld (2001-2006) on his new position and outlines three important defense policy goals of his administration. Secretary Rumsfeld affirms his agreement with the President’s approach and policies. Sec. Rumsfeld also served as Secretary of Defense from 1975-1977 under President Gerald Ford (R, 1974-1977) and, from 1963-1969,served as a Republican U.S. Representative from Illinois.

Carcieri v. Salazar 555 U.S. 379 (2009)

This case focused on Interior Secretary Kenneth Salazar’s (2009-present) efforts to accept land in trust for the Narragansett Indian Tribe. Salazar argued that he could accept this land in trust because of the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Narragansett Indian Tribe was not a tribe that was “under Federal jurisdiction” in 1934 and thus the statute did not apply to them.

Immigration and Naturalization Service v. Chadha 462 U.S. 919 (1983)

Chief Justice Warren E. Burger, along with a majority of the Court, held that Congress may not create a statute granting itself a legislative veto over executive branch actions that are inconsistent with the bicameralism principle and presentment clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Nomination of Norman Y. Mineta to be Secretary of the Department of Transportation, Hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Senate Hearing 107-1047, January 24, 2001.

This document details the confirmation hearings for Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta (2001-2006).Mineta also served as Secretary of Commerce (2000-2001) and as a U.S. Representative (D-CA, 1975-1995). Secretary Mineta served as a Cabinet Secretary under both Bill Clinton, a Democratic president, and George W. Bush, a Republican president. The Senate provides advice and consent of presidential appointments.

Obama, Barack. Remarks by the President before Cabinet Meeting. The White House, Washington, D.C.,October 3, 2011.

President Obama (D, 2009-present) stresses the need for Congressional support of his American Jobs Act as a response to the prolonged economic recession. He assures his administration and the executive agencies that he will continue to place pressure on Congress to assist in the passage of his bill.

Perry, William J.,Annual Report to the President and the Congress, March, 1996.

Secretary of Defense William J. Perry (1994-1997) provides his annual assessment of the Department of Defense to Congress and President Clinton (D, 1993-2001). Perry discusses the importance of defense operations to national security and stresses the requirement that executive agencies provide information to the President and Congress.

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