Constitutional Provisions

• Article 2, Section 2 of the United States Constitution grants the Senate confirmation power over all presidential appointments.
  
  

Nomination

• Once the president nominates a candidate to a specific position, the Senate must confirm the nomination by a simple majority vote. Prior to the vote, Senate committees hold hearings to determine the qualifications of the nominee.
  
  

Committee Hearings

• Hearings are held by committees with jurisdiction over the position considered. For example, the Senate Foreign Relations committee oversees hearings for the Secretary of State. Once the nominee is approved by committee, the nomination goes to the full Senate for approval.
  
  

Fun Fact

• According to Senate.gov, in its history the Senate has confirmed more than 500 Cabinet members.
  
  

Purpose of the Cabinet

• The Cabinet's role is to advise the president on issues facing the country and the governance of the country. Cabinet members also serve as the heads of a variety of government agencies.
  
  

Cabinet Structure

• The Cabinet consists of the vice president and the heads of 15 executive departments, including the Secretaries of Defense, State and Homeland Security.