Back when I was still hosting my radio show, I aired a commentary about U.S. Cabinet departments I’d like to see. I only named a few then, but my plan has since expanded. See if it makes any sense to you.
1. Veterans’ Affairs. Nobody would ever deny that America’s veterans deserve special attention, especially considering the state of their health care and housing. But is it enough to merit an entire department? I would turn this into a Bureau of Veterans’ Affairs overseen by the Defense Department. Agency executive: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ). Throw him a bone.
2. Immigration. The U.S. has no Department of Immigration. Hell, it doesn’t even have the INS anymore; its functions were given to three agencies of the Homeland Security Department on March 1, 2003. Considering the importance of legislation on illegal immigration, it would make sense to have a department to oversee it. Secretary: Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA), who introduced the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act in the Senate in 2006.
3. Infrastructure. About the closest thing there is to a Department of this is the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Perhaps these duties are best left to the states, but the growing number of related national projects indicates that the federal government would also have a role to play. Secretary: The above noted committee’s chair, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA).
4. Trade. The Commerce Department has an Undersecretary for International Trade, and the Executive Office of the President has a U.S. Trade Representative. If trade is important enough to warrant having two people in charge of it in different branches, why not a Department? Secretary: Let the undersecretary (Christopher A. Padilla) and the EOP rep (Ron Kirk) fight over it.
5. Indian Affairs. In Canada, we have a Department of Native Affairs, but it’s not that big of an issue in the U.S. There is a Bureau of Indian Affairs within the Interior Department, but I would move it to the Department of Health and Human Services. The Interior Department, meanwhile, can focus on the environment. Agency executive: The current one, Larry EchoHawk.
6. Transportation. That one can become a Bureau within the Infrastructure Department, when they create one. Agency executive: The current Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood.
What do you think? Once everything else in the country gets overhauled, we can focus on the people doing the overhauling.
