United States Secretary of the Treasury
The United States Secretary of the Treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters pertaining to economic and fiscal policy. The secretary is, by custom, a member of the president's cabinet and, by law, a member of the National Security Council.
| United States Secretary of the Treasury | |
|---|---|
Seal of the U.S. Department of the Treasury | |
Flag of the secretary | |
| Department of the Treasury | |
| Style | Madam Secretary (informal) The Honorable (formal) |
| Member of | Cabinet National Security Council |
| Reports to | President |
| Seat | Treasury Building Washington, D.C. |
| Appointer | President with Senate advice and consent |
| Term length | No fixed term |
| Constituting instrument | 31 U.S.C. ยง 301 |
| Precursor | Superintendent of Finance |
| Formation | September 11, 1789 |
| First holder | Alexander Hamilton |
| Succession | Fifth |
| Deputy | Deputy Secretary |
| Salary | Executive Schedule, Level I |
| Website | treasury.gov |
Under the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution, the officeholder is nominated by the president of the United States, and, following a confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Finance, is confirmed by the United States Senate.
The secretary of state, the secretary of the treasury, the secretary of defense, and the attorney general are generally regarded as the four most important Cabinet officials, due to the size and importance of their respective departments.
The current secretary of the treasury is Janet Yellen, who is the first woman to hold the office.