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67-542: The department was formed on July 1, 1995 when then-governor Tom Ridge split the Department of Environmental Resources (DER) into the DCNR and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The DCNR comprises the following subunits: Pennsylvania DCNR rangers act much like National Park Rangers do. They routinely check on cabins and campsites, offer insightful answers to visitors questions, and help to maintain calmness throughout

134-454: A Philadelphia Inquirer op-ed. On November 6, 2020, he confirmed to CNN that it was the first time he ever voted for a Democratic presidential candidate. Ridge, along with more than 100 Republican former national security officials, signed a letter in November that stated that the delay of the presidential transition imperiled the security of the nation. The 9/11 Commission finding that

201-491: A "cold day in hell" before he "would consent to an uninvited, unilateral intervention" in one of his cities in Pennsylvania . The White House cited federal law to support this use of federal law enforcement. Trump later slammed Ridge on Twitter , calling him "a failed RINO " and saying he "loved watching pathetic Never Trumpers squirm!". In September 2020, Ridge endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden for president in

268-595: A Cabinet. The Cabinet's role is inferred from the language of the Opinion Clause (Article   II, Section   2, Clause   1) of the Constitution for principal officers of departments to provide advice to the president. Additionally, the Twenty-fifth Amendment authorizes the vice president, together with a majority of the heads of the executive departments, to declare the president "unable to discharge

335-491: A century. During his time as governor, Ridge promoted " law and order " policies, supporting a three-strikes law and a faster death penalty process. A death penalty supporter, Ridge signed more than 224 execution warrants  – five times the number signed over a 25-year period by the two previous governors – but only three voluntary executions were carried out . On social issues, he opposed same-sex marriage while supporting abortion rights . Over Ridge's tenure,

402-476: A close advisor to Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush , a close friend from their simultaneous tenures as governors, during the 2000 presidential campaign. In return, Bush named Ridge to his short list for possible running mates, along with New York Governor George Pataki , Michigan Governor John Engler , Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating , former Missouri Senator John Danforth , and former American Red Cross President Elizabeth Dole . Following

469-530: A hypothetical matchup between the two men. Some Toomey supporters criticized the idea of a Ridge candidacy because, although Ridge was still registered to vote in Pennsylvania, he was actually living in Chevy Chase, Maryland . On May 7, 2009, Ridge announced that he would not be a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010. In September 2011, Ridge endorsed the campaign of former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman in

536-560: A lawsuit filed by a Syrian-born Canadian Maher Arar who said he was tortured in Syria after being deported by American authorities. On November 30, 2004, Ridge submitted his resignation to the President, saying, "After more than 22 consecutive years of public service, it is time to give personal and family matters a higher priority." In his book The Test of Our Times: America Under Siege...and How We Can Be Safe Again , Ridge says his resignation

603-576: A lobbying firm after Ridge lent the firm his name. The full-service government affairs firm has offices in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. In July 2010, companies seeking to use hydraulic fracturing to extract natural gas from the Marcellus Shale formation engaged Ridge and Ridge Policy Group at $ 75,000 a month to help them gain support. Ridge has served on a variety of corporate boards of directors and in other roles. In 2005, he

670-551: A school choice demonstration program. Ridge oversaw a number of e-government projects including renewing drivers' licenses and vehicle registrations to viewing historical documents and library catalogs. The Commonwealth's portal won several national awards. One of the nation's first electronic grant systems was put into place at the Pennsylvania Department of Education. He created the Link-to-Learn initiative to increase

737-406: A single agency dedicated to protecting America from terrorism. Ridge worked with the employees from combined agencies to strengthen borders, provide for intelligence analysis and infrastructure protection, improve the use of science and technology to counter weapons of mass destruction, and to create a comprehensive response and recovery division. In January 2004, Ridge was named among others in

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804-526: Is codified in Title ;5 of the United States Code . Twenty-one positions, including the heads of the executive departments and others, receiving Level   I pay are listed in 5 U.S.C.   § 5312 , and those forty-six positions on Level   II pay (including the number two positions of the executive departments) are listed in 5 U.S.C.   § 5313 . As of January 2023 ,

871-624: Is highly unusual due to the threat of dismissal. The president also has the authority to organize the Cabinet, such as instituting committees. Like all federal public officials, Cabinet members are also subject to impeachment by the House of Representatives and trial in the Senate for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors". The Constitution of the United States does not explicitly establish

938-570: Is rigorous enforcement against accurately designated organizations, of which MEK is not one." In 2015, Ridge served as co-chair of the Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense , a commission that recommended changes to U.S. policy regarding biodefense. In order to address biological threats facing the nation, the Blue Ribbon Study Panel on Biodefense created a 33-step initiative for the U.S. Government to implement. Tom Ridge headed

1005-704: The 2012 election . Mitt Romney announced an endorsement from Ridge on March 14, 2012. In 2013, Ridge was a signatory to an amicus curiae brief submitted to the Supreme Court in support of same-sex marriage during the Hollingsworth v. Perry case. Ridge spoke at a conference in support of the removal of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK, also PMOI, MKO) from the United States State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations . The group

1072-659: The Combat Infantryman Badge . After returning to Pennsylvania , he completed his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at the Dickinson School of Law, graduating in 1972, and entered private practice. Ridge became assistant district attorney in Erie County, Pennsylvania , in 1980 and prosecuted 86 cases in two years. In 1982, Ridge won a seat in Congress from northwestern Pennsylvania by the margin of only 729 votes. He

1139-554: The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is completely independent of the Pennsylvania Game Commission . Both agencies are independent of DCNR, but work in cooperation with each other. DCNR ranger responsibilities have three primary elements: The DCNR is host to many different environmental education programs throughout the summer months. These range from topics such as " Leave No Trace " hiking/camping policy to

1206-667: The Republican Party , he previously served in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 1995 and as the 43rd governor of Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2001. Ridge was born in Munhall, Pennsylvania , and raised in veterans' public housing in Erie, Pennsylvania . After graduating from Harvard University with honors, he served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War where he

1273-596: The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks , U.S. President George W. Bush named Ridge the first director of the newly created Office of Homeland Security . In January 2003, the Office of Homeland Security became an official Cabinet -level Department, the Department of Homeland Security , and Ridge became the first Secretary of Homeland Security . He served in these roles for Bush's first term as president, then retired and returned to

1340-569: The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks , U.S. President George W. Bush created the Office of Homeland Security within the White House, and named Ridge to head it. The charge to the nation's new director of homeland security was to develop and coordinate a comprehensive national strategy to strengthen the United States against terrorist threats or attacks. Ridge formally resigned as Pennsylvania's governor on October 5, 2001. In January 2003 and after

1407-592: The Vietnam War . In May 1970, a ruptured appendix cut short his tour of duty in Vietnam and he was sent home; his service also aggravated a childhood ear infection which caused him afterwards to have a hearing aid in his left ear. For his service in Vietnam, Ridge received the Bronze Star with "V" Device , National Defense Service Medal , Vietnam Service Medal , Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm , Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal , and

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1474-501: The presumptive nominee , or Hillary Clinton in the general election. In July 2020, Ridge criticized President Trump for saying in June that vote-by-mail leads to widespread voter fraud, responding that it is not a threat and that voters need a safe way to cast a ballot in the 2020 election , amid the COVID-19 pandemic . Ridge also said that it was "sad" that the President wants to quash

1541-474: The vice president , 15 department heads, and 10 Cabinet-level officials, all except two of whom require Senate confirmation . During Cabinet meetings, the members sit in the order in which their respective department was created, with the earliest being closest to the president and the newest farthest away. The members of the Cabinet whom the president appoints serve at the pleasure of the president . The president can dismiss them from office at any time without

1608-539: The Commonwealth's budget grew by two to three percent per fiscal year and combined tax reductions totaled over $ 2 billion. Ridge created and grew a "Rainy Day" Fund balance to over $ 1 billion to be utilized during an economic downturn or recession. Ridge pushed for legislation permitting competition among electric utilities and enhanced federal and state support for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). He separated

1675-478: The Commonwealth's environmental regulatory and conservation programs into two new agencies; the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Ridge proposed the creation of public charter schools in Pennsylvania and in establishing alternate schools for disruptive students. He launched new academic standards that established academic expectations for what students were expected to know in different grades. He proposed

1742-538: The Constitution (Article   II, Section   1, Clause   1) vests "the executive power" in the president singly, and authorizes—but does not compel—the president (Article   II, Section   2, Clause   1) to "require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices". The Constitution does not specify what

1809-519: The Democratic primary. Already seeking the Republican nomination was former Representative Pat Toomey , who narrowly lost to Specter in the Republican primary in 2004. Some Republicans thought Ridge would have a better chance against Specter than would Toomey. A Quinnipiac University Polling Institute poll conducted between April 30, 2009, and May 3, 2009, placed Ridge within three points of Specter in

1876-645: The Level   I annual pay was set at $ 235,600. The annual salary of the vice president is $ 235,300. The salary level was set by the Government Salary Reform Act of 1989, which provides an automatic cost of living adjustment for federal employees. The vice president receives the same pension as other members of Congress as the president of the Senate . The individuals listed below were nominated by President Joe Biden to form his Cabinet and were confirmed by

1943-555: The U.S. Government to take, including items such as giving the vice president authority over biodefense responsibilities and merging the entire biodefense budget. These solutions represent the Panel's call to action in order to increase awareness and activity for pandemic related issues. In 2016, Ridge endorsed Jeb Bush and subsequently John Kasich after Bush's withdrawal from the 2016 Republican presidential primaries . Ridge stated he would not endorse Donald Trump , following Trump becoming

2010-524: The United States is the principal official advisory body to the president of the United States . The Cabinet generally meets with the president in a room adjacent to the Oval Office in the West Wing of the White House. The president chairs the meetings but is not formally a member of the Cabinet. The vice president of the United States serves in the Cabinet by statute. The heads of departments, appointed by

2077-538: The United States Senate on the date noted or are serving as acting department heads by his request, pending the confirmation of his nominees. The Cabinet permanently includes the vice president and the heads of 15 executive departments, listed here according to their order of succession to the presidency . The speaker of the House and the president pro tempore of the Senate follow the vice president and precede

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2144-547: The United States of America" and described current politics in America as "distressing", "personal, vengeful, [and] mean-spirited." In 2022, Ridge endorsed fellow Republican Mehmet Oz in the 2022 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania . Tom Ridge's book The Test of Our Times was published in September 2009. Written with Larry Bloom, it focuses on Ridge's time as the head of the Department of Homeland Security. He explains

2211-414: The approval of the Senate or downgrade their Cabinet membership status (the vice president of the United States is elected not appointed and serves in the Cabinet by statute). Functionally, the president may give wide latitude to department heads and often it is legally possible for a Cabinet member to exercise certain powers over his or her own department against the president's wishes, but in practice this

2278-602: The beginning of their term. An elected vice president does not require Senate confirmation, nor does the White House Chief of Staff , which is an appointed staff position of the Executive Office of the President. The heads of the executive departments and most other senior federal officers at cabinet or sub-cabinet level receive their salary under a fixed five-level pay plan known as the Executive Schedule , which

2345-500: The bipartisan advisory board of States United Democracy Center. Ridge served as a senior aide to Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain of Arizona, and was considered by some as a possible running mate for McCain. According to Fox News , many Republicans hoped Ridge would run for the United States Senate against the newly turned Democrat Arlen Specter , who stated he would seek re-election in 2010 in

2412-421: The challenges and decision-making processes of the newly formed department, and gives his own views as to the future of the security of the United States of America. The book further discusses the infighting he saw that frustrated his attempts to build a smooth-running department. Among the headlines promoted by publisher Thomas Dunne Books : Ridge was never invited to sit in on National Security Council meetings;

2479-601: The different wildlife and plant species of many of the state parks. Tom Ridge Thomas Joseph Ridge (born August 26, 1945) is an American politician and author who served in the George W. Bush administration as the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security from 2001 to 2003 and as the United States Secretary of Homeland Security from 2003 to 2005. He was the first person to hold either office. A member of

2546-508: The effective use of technology in public schools and universities. Ridge signed two death warrants for African-American civil rights activist Mumia Abu-Jamal , who was convicted of killing a police officer at a traffic stop. He served as governor until his resignation in 2001, at which time he became the Director of Homeland Security following the September 11 attacks . Ridge was a potential running mate for Bob Dole in 1996 , and served as

2613-425: The election, and was reelected in 1998 with the most votes for a Republican governor in Pennsylvania (where Democrats outnumbered Republicans by almost 500,000) in more than half a century. As Governor of Pennsylvania, he is credited for statewide advances in economic development, education, health care and the environment. As of 2024, he is the last Republican to win reelection as Pennsylvania's governor. Following

2680-588: The executive departments will be, how many there will be, or what their duties will be. George Washington , the first president of the United States, organized his principal officers into a Cabinet, and it has been part of the executive branch structure ever since. Washington's Cabinet consisted of five members: himself, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson , Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton , Secretary of War Henry Knox and Attorney General Edmund Randolph . Vice President John Adams

2747-402: The group. Ridge and others wrote an article for the conservative publication National Review stating their position that the group should not be classified as a terrorist organization, raising the point that "The material-support statute doesn’t need revision to accommodate non-existent defects. What it does need – and does not often enough get for fear of offending some Muslim organizations –

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2814-726: The legitimacy of the election. In response to Ridge's comments, the RNC said lawsuits by Democrats to strip ballot safeguards are an attempt to delegitimize the election. Ridge is a co-chair of VoteSafe, a bipartisan group that promotes safe voting by mail and in person. Also in July 2020, Ridge slammed his former Department for sending in federal agents to detain rioters allegedly committing federal crimes in Portland, Oregon , after more than 50 days of protests and riots there. He also said, during an interview with radio host Michael Smerconish , that it would be

2881-516: The organization with former Senator Joe Lieberman, and the Study Panel assembled in Washington, D.C., for four meetings concerning current biodefense programs. The Study Panel concluded that the federal government had little to no defense mechanisms in case of a biological event. The Study Panel's final report, The National Blueprint for Biodefense , proposes a string of solutions and recommendations for

2948-687: The parks. They have full arrest powers while in park lands and carry side arms . However, they do not have primary jurisdiction over Pennsylvania State Game Lands , which are patrolled by Wildlife Conservation Officers employed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission , but do have the authority to enforce all Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Game Commission laws and regulations while on Pennsylvania State Game Lands. French Creek State Park and State Game Lands #43 are examples, as DCNR rangers regularly enforce PGC regulations giving tickets to offenders at PGC's public shooting range. DCNR rangers enforce game laws as well as fishing and boating laws in state parks. However,

3015-553: The passage of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, the Office of Homeland Security split into a Cabinet -level Department, the Department of Homeland Security , and the White House Homeland Security Advisory Council . Ridge left the White House and became the first Secretary of Homeland Security . The department's mission "is to (A) prevent terrorist attacks within the United States; (B) reduce

3082-403: The powers and duties of his office". The heads of the executive departments are—if eligible—in the presidential line of succession . The tradition of the Cabinet arose out of the debates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention regarding whether the president would exercise executive authority solely or collaboratively with a cabinet of ministers or a privy council . As a result of the debates,

3149-564: The president and confirmed by the Senate , are members of the Cabinet, and acting department heads also participate in Cabinet meetings whether or not they have been officially nominated for Senate confirmation. The president may designate heads of other agencies and non-Senate-confirmed members of the Executive Office of the President as members of the Cabinet. The Cabinet does not have any collective executive powers or functions of its own, and no votes need to be taken. There are 26 members:

3216-527: The president within their areas of responsibility without any specific delegation. Under 5 U.S.C.   § 3110 (also known as the 1967 Federal Anti-Nepotism statute), federal officials are prohibited from appointing their immediate family members to certain governmental positions, including those in the Cabinet. Under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998 , an administration may appoint acting heads of department from employees of

3283-422: The president, it is provided that "nothing herein shall be deemed to require express authorization in any case in which such an official would be presumed in law to have acted by authority or direction of the president." This pertains directly to the heads of the executive departments as each of their offices is created and specified by statutory law (hence the presumption) and thus gives them the authority to act for

3350-418: The private sector. Since reentering the private sector, Ridge has served on the boards of The Home Depot , The Hershey Company and Exelon Corporation and as a senior advisor to Deloitte & Touche and TechRadium. He is also the founder and chairman of Ridge Global, a Washington, D.C.–based security consulting firm. He spent time campaigning with Senator John McCain during his 2008 presidential bid and

3417-431: The relevant department. These may be existing high-level career employees, from political appointees of the outgoing administration (for new administrations), or sometimes lower-level appointees of the administration. The heads of the executive departments and all other federal agency heads are nominated by the president and then presented to the Senate for confirmation or rejection by a simple majority (although before

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3484-455: The shortened transition to the administration of George W. Bush during the disputed 2000 presidential election "hampered the new administration in identifying, recruiting, clearing, and obtaining Senate confirmation of key appointees" was mentioned in the statement. In August 2022, Ridge described the January 6 United States Capitol attack as "conduct you’d see in a Third World country, not in

3551-480: The time) $ 60,000 in annual deferred stock units. In 2006, Ridge was announced as a senior advisor for Deloitte & Touche USA LLP. He was named to serve on the executive board of The Hershey Company in 2007, and was named senior advisor to Texas-based security technology company TechRadium, Inc. in 2008. In 2009, antimicrobial company PURE Bioscience named Ridge, along with former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson , to its advisory board. He currently sits on

3618-608: The use of a parliamentary-style Cabinet government. However, Lincoln rebuffed Seward. While Woodrow Wilson was a professor he also advocated a parliamentary-style Cabinet but after becoming president he did not implement it in his administration. In recent administrations, Cabinets have grown to include key White House staff in addition to department and various agency heads. President Ronald Reagan formed seven sub-cabinet councils to review many policy issues, and subsequent presidents have followed that practice. In 3 U.S.C.   § 302 with regard to delegation of authority by

3685-428: The use of the " nuclear option " during the 113th United States Congress , they could have been blocked by filibuster , requiring cloture to be invoked by 3 ⁄ 5 supermajority to further consideration). If approved, they receive their commission scroll , are sworn in , and begin their duties. When the Senate is not in session, the president can appoint acting heads of the executive departments, and do so at

3752-611: The vulnerability of the United States to terrorism; and (C) minimize the damage, and assist in the recovery, from terrorist attacks that do occur within the United States" (From H.R. 5005-8 the Homeland Security Act of 2002). The newly created department was the most comprehensive reorganization of the Federal government since the National Security Act of 1947 . The Department of Homeland Security consolidates 22 agencies and 180,000 employees, unifying once-fragmented Federal functions in

3819-608: Was 'blindsided' by the FBI in morning Oval Office meetings because the agency withheld critical information from him; found his urgings to block Michael Brown from being named head of the emergency agency blamed for the Hurricane Katrina disaster ignored; and was pushed to raise the security alert on the eve of President Bush's re-election, something he saw as politically motivated and worth resigning over. United States Cabinet [REDACTED] [REDACTED] The Cabinet of

3886-515: Was awarded the Bronze Star . He then returned to Pennsylvania and completed his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree at the Dickinson School of Law , graduating in 1972, and entered private practice. As assistant district attorney in Erie, Ridge ran for Congress in his district , where he served six terms. He then ran for governor in 1994 , despite being little-known outside of northwest Pennsylvania. He won

3953-533: Was believed by some to have been on the short list of potential running mates. Ridge was born in Munhall, Pennsylvania , in Pittsburgh 's Steel Valley , the eldest of three children. His parents were Laura (née Sudimack) and Thomas Regis Ridge, who was a traveling salesman and Navy veteran . Ridge's maternal grandparents were Rusyn immigrants from the former Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia ), and his paternal great-grandparents emigrated from Great Britain . He

4020-529: Was drafted into the United States Army . Ridge waived an opportunity for officer training school because it would have required a longer service commitment. In November 1969, Ridge arrived as a sergeant in South Vietnam where he would serve for six months as a staff sergeant with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry , 11th Infantry Brigade , 23rd Infantry Division (Americal Division) during

4087-618: Was due to an effort by senior Bush administration officials to raise the nation's terror alert level in the days before the 2004 presidential vote. Ridge is the founder and chairman of Ridge Global, an advisory firm in Washington, D.C. Ridge served on a state-appointed incident review panel that investigated the Virginia Tech shooting . Ridge also sits on the board of directors of the Atlantic Council . In 2010, Ridge's two former Chiefs of Staff, Mark Campbell and Mark Holman, opened

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4154-632: Was listed on the State Department list from 1997 until September 2012. The Los Angeles Times reported a senior Clinton administration official as saying inclusion of the People's Mojahedin was intended as a goodwill gesture to Tehran and its newly elected president, Mohammad Khatami. Ridge, along with other former government officials and politicians Ed Rendell , R. James Woolsey , Porter Goss , Louis Freeh , Michael Mukasey , James L. Jones , Rudy Giuliani , and Howard Dean , have spoken in support of

4221-505: Was named to the board of Home Depot , with an expected annual compensation of about $ 100,000. and in the same year was appointed to the board of the RFID company Savi Technology . He was appointed to the board of directors of the Exelon Corporation electric utility in 2006, with starting director compensation of $ 35,000 annual retainer plus a $ 1,500 meeting fee or per diem fee and (at

4288-516: Was not included in Washington's Cabinet because the position was initially regarded as a legislative officer (president of the Senate). Furthermore, until there was a vacancy in the presidency (which did not occur until the death of William Henry Harrison in 1841) it was not certain that a vice president would be allowed to serve as president for the duration of the original term as opposed to merely acting as president until new elections could be held. It

4355-405: Was not until the 20th century that vice presidents were regularly included as members of the Cabinet and came to be regarded primarily as a member of the executive branch. Presidents have used Cabinet meetings of selected principal officers but to widely differing extents and for different purposes. During President Abraham Lincoln 's administration, Secretary of State William H. Seward advocated

4422-424: Was raised in veterans' public housing in Erie, Pennsylvania . He was educated at St. Andrews Elementary School and Cathedral Preparatory School and did well both academically and in sports. He attended Harvard College , where he paid his way through with construction work, played intramural baseball and football, and graduated with honors in 1967. In 1968, after his first year at the Dickinson School of Law , he

4489-432: Was then re-elected five times. In 1994 , despite being little-known outside of northwest Pennsylvania, Ridge ran for governor . He won the election as a pro-choice Republican . He was reelected in 1998 with 57 percent of the vote in a four-way race. His share of the vote in that election was the highest for a Republican governor in Pennsylvania (where Democrats outnumber Republicans by almost 500,000) in more than half

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