What is the US Secretary of State?
The US Secretary of State is an appointed member of the President’s cabinet. His or her job is to represent the US in foreign affairs and to lead the Bureau of Foreign Affairs. This is a job nearly as old as the presidency. The Bureau of Foreign Affairs was created during the Second Continental Congress in 1789. President George Washington appointed the first US Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson. While appointing the Secretary of State is the privilege of the President, the nomination must be confirmed by the US Senate. Generally appointments are not hotly contested, since most feel the President has the right to appoint his or her own cabinet. However in recent years, appointments to Undersecretary of State have been hotly contested, as was the 2005 appointment of John Bolton. Generally appointments are confirmed smoothly when the controlling political party of the Senate matches that of the President.
