United States Secretary of Health and Human Services
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United States Secretary of Health and Human Services

PostUnited States Secretary
BodyHealth and Human Services
InsigniaUS-DeptOfHHS-Seal.svg
Insigniasize100px
InsigniacaptionOfficial Seal
IncumbentKathleen Sebelius
IncumbentsinceApril 28, 2009
FirstPatricia Roberts Harris
FormationAugust 3, 1979
SuccessionTwelfth

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The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, concerned with health matters. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet. The office was formerly Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare.

In 1979, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was renamed the Department of Health and Human Services, and its education functions transferred to the new Department of Education. Patricia Roberts Harris headed the department before and after it was renamed.

Nominations to the office of Secretary of HHS are referred to the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicare and Medicaid, before confirmation is considered by the full United States Senate.

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius was sworn in as Secretary of Health and Human Services by the United States Senate on April 29, 2009.

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United States presidential line of succession
Preceded by
Secretary of Labor		12th in lineSucceeded by
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

No. Name Portrait State of residence Took Office Left Office President served under
1 Oveta Culp Hobby Texas April 11, 1953 July 31, 1955 Dwight D. Eisenhower
2 Marion B. Folsom New York August 2, 1955 July 31, 1958
3 Arthur S. Flemming Ohio August 1, 1958 January 19, 1961
4 Abraham A. Ribicoff Connecticut January 21, 1961 July 13, 1962 John F. Kennedy
5 Anthony J. Celebrezze Ohio July 31, 1962 August 17, 1965
Lyndon Johnson
6 John W. Gardner New York August 18, 1965 March 1, 1968
7 Wilbur J. Cohen Maryland May 16, 1968 January 20, 1969
8 Robert Finch California nowrapJanuary 21, 1969 June 23, 1970 Richard Nixon
9 Elliot Richardson Massachusetts June 24, 1970 January 29, 1973
10 Caspar Weinberger California February 12, 1973 August 8, 1975
Gerald Ford
11 David Mathews Alabama August 8, 1975 January 20, 1977
12 Joseph Califano Washington, D.C. January 25, 1977 August 3, 1979 Jimmy Carter
13 Patricia R. Harris Washington, D.C. August 3, 1979 nowrapJanuary 20, 1981

Secretaries of Health and Human Services :
No. Name Portrait State of residence Took Office Left Office President served under
13 Patricia R. Harris Washington, D.C. August 3, 1979 January 20, 1981 Jimmy Carter
14 nowrapRichard Schweiker Pennsylvania January 22, 1981 February 3, 1983 Ronald Reagan
15 Margaret Heckler Massachusetts March 9, 1983 December 13, 1985
16 Otis R. Bowen Indiana December 13, 1985 January 20, 1989
17 Louis W. Sullivan Georgia March 1, 1989 January 20, 1993 George H. W. Bush
18 Donna Shalala Wisconsin nowrapJanuary 22, 1993 nowrapJanuary 20, 2001 Bill Clinton
19 Tommy Thompson Wisconsin February 2, 2001 January 26, 2005 George W. Bush
20 Mike Leavitt Utah January 26, 2005 January 20, 2009
21 Kathleen Sebelius Kansas April 28, 2009 Present Barack Obama

Agencies of the United States Department of Health and Human Services

Secretariate staff officesOffice of the Secretary of Health and Human Services * Office of the Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services * Office of Inspector General
Organizations under the
Assistant Secretary for Health		Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health * Public Health Service * Office of Public Health and Science * Administration for Children and Families * Administration on Aging * Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality * Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry * Centers for Disease Control and Prevention * Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services * Food and Drug Administration * Health Resources and Services Administration * Indian Health Service * National Institutes of Health * Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration * Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (Surgeon General)

Leaders of the United States federal executive departments

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



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