Commerce & Labor were briefly a single Cabinet department from 1903-1913 before being split in two (it didn’t exist prior to 1903). But since these are really under the same general aegis, I would fold Labor back into Commerce.
As for Homeland Security, what is it but DEFENSE of our country ? Hence why it is absurd to be separate and apart from Defense. Seems like an excuse to have duplication of that bureaucracy. The leftist moonbats would freak if we returned to the pre-1947 Department of War (then again, so would the Paulbots).
“War” is somewhat of a misleading title, anyhow. When it was created under Pres. Washington, it was really just a Department of the Army (although it exists now as a subcabinet position under Defense, Navy used to have a full-fledged Cabinet position). “Department of the Military” would be a more appropriate title, and that person serving as a Cabinet head should be a bonafide military official (as in Chairman of the Joint Chiefs). Although, of course, one can also understand keeping that with a civilian at the helm (since that post with a General in charge could serve as a perch to launch a coup d’etat, although unlikely with a President making said appointment).
Oh, well, though if I were serving in Congress, I’d want to launch a review commission of all governmental departments to recommend streamlining/merging, et al. Get the ball rolling on rollbacks that will have to be made.
I agree we have wayyyy too many cabinet agencies now, and given that you have at least a half dozen or more people with "Cabinet rank" (U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador to the United Nations, White House Chief of Staff, etc.) that sin-in at cabinet meetings, it's a wonder they get anything done at these meetings. They have like 25 people sitting there when you could make due with 8.
Ironically it was Ronald "big government is the problem" Reagan that created the VA and gave it a cabinet rank. Totally unnecessary. Also happened near the end of his Presidency.
I had something I saved on notepad a while back on how I'd consolidate and eliminate half the Cabinet positions. Can't seem to find it now. Most of them would simply be rolled back to the original incarnation and given a new name. In the UK, the "Chancellor of the Exchequer" (chief financial officer of the UK) is the head cabinet official, not the State Dept. minister). I'd arrange the cabinet members and seniority somewhere along these lines:
1. Department of the Treasury
2. Department of National Security (CIA, FBI, NSA, ICE, etc.)
3. Department of Foreign Affairs (formerly state dept.)
4. Department of Military Affairs (Army, Navy, Air Force, etc.)
5. Attorney General
6. Department of the Exterior (formerly Interior, EPA sub-level agency)
7. Department of Agriculture & Farming
8. Department of Labor & Commerce
9. Department of Human Services (Welfare, Social Security, HUD loads, college loans, veteran benefits, etc.)
The Vice President would have the option to attend cabinet meetings, but would not hold a "cabinet-level office", per say. (in the case of Joe Biden, there's no point in him attending anyway, though you would certainly want a Vice President with gravitas like Cheney to attend such meetings)