Here’s the full list of absent Cabinet secretaries since 1984:
January 27, 2010: Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan
February 24, 2009: Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.
January 28, 2008: Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne
January 23, 2007: Attorney General Alberto Gonzales
January 31, 2006: Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson
February 2, 2005: Commerce Secretary Donald Evans
January 20, 2004: Commerce Secretary Donald Evans
January 28, 2003: Attorney General John Ashcroft
January 29, 2002: Interior Secretary Gale Norton
February 27, 2001: Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi
January 27, 2000: Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson
January 19, 1999: HUD Secretary Andrew W. Cuomo
January 27, 1998: Commerce Secretary Bill Daley
February 4, 1997: Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman
January 30, 1996: HHS Secretary Donna Shalala
January 24, 1995: Transportation Secretary Federico Pena
January 25, 1994: Agriculture Secretary Mike Epsy
February 17, 1993: Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt
January 28, 1992: Agriculture Secretary Ed Madigan
January 29, 1991: Interior Secretary Manuel Lujan
January 31, 1990: Veterans Affairs Secretary Edward J. Derwinski
February 9, 1989: No absent cabinet member
January 25, 1988: Interior Secretary Donald P. Hodel
January 27, 1987: Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng
February 4, 1986: Agriculture Secretary John Block
February 6, 1985: Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige
January 25, 1984: HUD Secretary Samuel R. Pierce Jr.Source: Senate Historical Office
State of the Union: Ken Salazar to serve as ‘designated survivor’ – won’t attend
