The Green Papers
The Green Papers
Historical Data

Barack Hussein Obama
44th President of the United States
The Obama Administration

Links to the Executive Branch

The 56th and 57th Presidential Administration
(as it resulted from the 56th and 57th Presidential Elections)
20 January 2009 to 20 January 2017

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Executive

PRESIDENT

  • Barack Hussein Obama of Illinois
    • 20 January 2009: Sworn

VICE PRESIDENT

  • Joseph Robinette Biden of Delaware
    • 20 January 2009: Sworn
the CABINET

SECRETARY OF STATE

  • U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York
    • 1 December 2008: nominated
    • 21 January 2009: Confirmed by Senate Roll Call Vote (94-2). DeMint of SC and Vitter of LA- both Republicans- voted 'Nay'.

SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY

  • Federal Reserve Bank of New York president Timothy Geithner of New York
    • 24 November 2008: nominated
    • 26 January 2009: Confirmed by Senate Roll Call Vote (60-34).

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

  • former CIA Director Robert M. Gates of Texas
    • 1 December 2008: retained by the incoming Obama/Biden Administration (does not require reconfirmation by the United States Senate after 20 January 2009)
    • 18 December 2006: Sworn
    • 6 December 2006: Approved by Senate Roll Call Vote (95-2)
    • 8 November 2006: nominated by President George W. Bush

ATTORNEY GENERAL

  • former Deputy Attorney General Eric H. Holder of the District of Columbia
    • 1 December 2008: nominated
    • 2 February 2009: Confirmed by Senate Roll Call Vote (75-21) [as the Nation's first African-American Attorney General]
    • 3 February 2009: Sworn

SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR

  • U.S. Senator Ken Salazar of Colorado
    • 17 December 2008: nominated
    • 20 January 2009: Confirmed by Senate viva voce (by voice vote)

SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE

  • former Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa
    • 17 December 2008: nominated
    • 20 January 2009: Confirmed by Senate viva voce (by voice vote)

SECRETARY OF COMMERCE

  • Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico
    • 3 December 2008: nominated
    • 4 January 2009: Governor Bill Richardson (D-New Mexico) has withdrawn his name from consideration as the nominee to be President-elect Barack Obama's Secretary of Commerce due to a grand jury investigation into contributors to Richardson's political campaigns. Claiming to have done nothing wrong, the New Mexico Governor nonetheless did not want this to become a distraction for the incoming Obama Administration.
  • Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire
    • 3 February 2009: nominated
    • 12 February 2009: withdrew
  • former Governor Gary Locke of Washington
    • 25 February 2009: nominated
    • 24 March 2009: Confirmed by Senate viva voce (by voice vote)

SECRETARY OF LABOR

  • Representative in Congress Hilda L. Solis of Califronia
    • 19 December 2008: nominated
    • 24 February 2009: Confirmed by Senate Roll Call Vote of 80-17.
    • 13 March 2009: Sworn.

SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

  • former U.S. Senator Tom Daschle of South Dakota
    • 11 December 2008: nominated
    • 3 February 2009: withdrew
  • Governor Kathleen Sebelius (Democratic) of Kansas
    • 2 March 2009: nominated
    • 28 Arpil 2009: Confirmed by Senate Roll Call Vote of 65-31 with 3 not voting.
    • 28 Arpil 2009: Sworn.

SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

  • Shaun L.S. Donovan of New York
    • 13 December 2008: nominated
    • 22 January 2009: Confirmed by Senate viva voce (by voice vote)

SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION

  • Representative in Congress Ray LaHood of Illinois
    • 19 December 2008: nominated
    • 22 January 2009: Confirmed by Senate viva voce (by voice vote)

SECRETARY OF ENERGY

  • Steven Chu of California
    • 15 December 2008: nominated
    • 20 January 2009: Confirmed by Senate viva voce (by voice vote)

SECRETARY OF EDUCATION

  • Arne Duncan of Illinois
    • 16 December 2008: nominated
    • 20 January 2009: Confirmed by Senate viva voce (by voice vote)

SECRETARY OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS

  • retired U.S. Army General Eric K. Shinseki
    • 7 December 2008: nominated
    • 20 January 2009: Confirmed by Senate viva voce (by voice vote)

SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY

  • Governor Janet Napolitano of Arizona
    • 1 December 2008: nominated
    • 20 January 2009: Confirmed by Senate viva voce (by voice vote)
Important Non-Cabinet WHITE HOUSE officials (who are not required to confirmed by the US Senate after nomination-that is, they are chosen and serve solely at the pleasure of the President)

WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF

  • Representative in Congress Rahm Emanuel of Illinois
    • 6 November 2008: named
    • 21 January 2009: Sworn

GENERAL COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT

  • Gregory Craig
    • 17 November 2008: named
    • 21 January 2009: Sworn

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY

  • Robert Gibbs
    • 22 November 2008: named
    • 21 January 2009: Sworn

ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS ['NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR']

  • James Jones: General, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired)
    • 1 December 2008: named
    • 21 January 2009: Sworn

CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL

  • Lawrence Summers
    • 24 November 2008: named
    • 21 January 2009: Sworn

DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF HEALTH POLICY

  • HHS Secretary-designate Tom Daschle (see above, under "the CABINET"), assisted by DEPUTY DIRECTOR Jeanne Lambrew
    • 11 December 2008: named
    • 21 January 2009: Sworn

DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF ENERGY AND CLIMATE POLICY

  • Carol Browner
    • 15 December 2008: named
    • 21 January 2009: Sworn
HEADS of important FEDERAL AGENCIES and other non-Cabinet OFFICERS

U.S. PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE ['AMBASSADOR'] TO THE UNITED NATIONS

  • Susan E. Rice of the District of Columbia
    • 1 December 2008: nominated
    • 22 January 2009: Confirmed by Senate viva voce (by voice vote)

U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

  • former Dallas Texas Mayor Ron Kirk of Texas
    • 19 December 2008: nominated
    • 18 March 2009: Confirmed by Senate Roll Call Vote of 92-5.

NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DIRECTOR

  • retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Dennis C. Blair
    • 9 January 2009: nominated
    • 28 January 2009: Confirmed by Senate viva voce (by voice vote)

DIRECTOR, CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY

  • former Clinton Administration White House Chief of Staff Leon E. Panetta
    • 9 January 2009: nominated
    • 12 February 2009: Confirmed by Senate viva voce (by voice vote)
    • 19 February 2009: Sworn

DIRECTOR, FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

  • Craig Fugate of Florida
    • 4 March 2009: appointed

CHAIRMAN, SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION

  • Mary L. Schapiro of the District of Columbia
    • 18 December 2008: nominated
    • 22 January 2009: Confirmed by Senate viva voce (by voice vote)

DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET

  • Peter Orszag of the District of Columbia
    • 25 November 2008: nominated
    • 20 January 2009: Confirmed by Senate viva voce (by voice vote)

ADMINISTRATOR, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

  • Lisa Perez Jackson of New Jersey
    • 15 December 2008: nominated
    • 22 January 2009: Confirmed by Senate viva voce (by voice vote)

Modified .