Final answer:
The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for promoting public health, providing essential services, enforcing food and drug laws, and overseeing healthcare and benefits programs for veterans, among other duties.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has a broad range of responsibilities, which include overseeing the promotion of public health, providing essential human services, enforcing food and drug laws, and administering services to U.S. veterans such as healthcare and benefits programs. For example, in 2020, the HHS Secretary was initially tasked with leading the response to the U.S. coronavirus case through a special task force. This role was eventually shifted to then Vice President Mike Pence, who took over the White House Coronavirus Task Force. The HHS also encompasses agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is responsible for protecting the public from disease and injury, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates food safety, pharmaceutical drugs, medical devices, and other products to promote public health.