United States Department of Health and Human Services

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Dept. of Health and Human Services
File:US-DeptOfHHS-Seal.png
Established:October 17, 1979
Activated:May 4, 1980
Secretary:Tommy Thompson
Deputy Secretary:Claude A. Allen
Budget:$502.0 billion (2003)
Employees:65,000 (2003)

The United States Department of Health and Human Services, often abbreviated HHS, is a Cabinet department of the United States government with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services.

The Secretary of the Health and Human Services is appointed by the President of the United States. States' agencies are known as the Department of Health Services such as the CDHS, California Department of Health Services.

The department was created when President Jimmy Carter signed the Department of Education Organization Act (PL 96-88) into law on October 17, 1979. It dissolved the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, HEW, which included the G.I. Bill and Veterans' Administration into the Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Department of Education. Both began operation on May 4, 1980. It is administered by the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Contents

Operating Units

It no longer includes the Social Security Administration, which was made independent in 1995.

Related Legislation

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References