This page tells all about the duties, roles, and requirements of the Secretary of the Treasury and the Treasury Department. It is part of our United States Government series.

Seal of the Department of the Treasury

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The Secretary of the Treasury is the top official in the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the principal economic advisor to the president. Alexander Hamilton was named the nation’s first Secretary of the Treasury in 1789. According to the U.S. Department of Treasury’s website, “The Secretary is responsible for formulating and recommending domestic and international financial, economic, and tax policy, participating in the formulation of broad fiscal policies that have general significance for the economy, and managing the public debt. The Secretary oversees the activities of the Department in carrying out its major law enforcement responsibilities; in serving as the financial agent for the United States Government; and in manufacturing coins and currency. ” Interestingly, the United States Treasurer is different from the Secretary of the Treasury. Today, the United States Treasurer serves as an advisor on the production of currency and coins to top-ranking officials in department. The signatures of both the United States Treasurer and the Secretary of Treasury appear on U.S. paper currency.