United States Secretary of Energy
| Secretary of Energy of the United States of America | |
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Seal of the Department of Energy
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Flag of the Secretary of Energy
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| United States Department of Energy | |
| Style | Mr. Secretary |
| Member of | Cabinet |
| Reports to | The President |
| Seat | Washington, D.C. |
| Appointer | The President with Senate advice and consent |
| Term length | No fixed term |
| Constituting instrument | 42 U.S.C. § 7131 |
| Formation | August 6, 1977 |
| First holder | James R. Schlesinger |
| Succession | Fifteenth[1] |
| Deputy | Deputy Secretary of Energy |
| Salary | Executive Schedule, level 1 |
| Website | www |
The United States Secretary of Energy is the head of the U.S. Department of Energy, a member of the Cabinet of the United States, and fourteenth in the presidential line of succession. The position was formed on October 1, 1977 with the creation of the Department of Energy when President Jimmy Carter signed the Department of Energy Organization Act.[2] Originally the post focused on energy production and regulation. The emphasis soon shifted to developing technology for better and more efficient energy sources as well as energy education. After the end of the Cold War, the department's attention also turned toward radioactive waste disposal and maintenance of environmental quality.[3] The current Secretary of Energy is Rick Perry [4]
Former Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger was the first Secretary of Energy, who was a Republican nominated to the post by Democratic President Jimmy Carter, the only time a president has appointed someone of another party to the post. Schlesinger is also the only secretary to be dismissed from the post.[5] Hazel O'Leary, Bill Clinton's first Secretary of Energy, was the first female and African-American holder.[6] The first Hispanic to serve as Energy Secretary was Clinton's second, Federico Peña.[7] Spencer Abraham became the first Arab American to hold the position on November 15, 2004, serving under the administration of George W. Bush. Steven Chu became the first Asian American to hold the position on January 20, 2009, serving under the administration of Barack Obama. He is also the longest-serving Secretary of Energy and the first individual to join the Cabinet having received a Nobel Prize.
List of Secretaries of Energy[edit]
- Parties
Democratic (6) Republican (8)
| No. | Portrait | Name | State of residence | Took office | Left office | Party | President(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Schlesinger, JamesJames Schlesinger | Virginia | August 6, 1977 | August 23, 1979 | Republican | Carter, JimmyJimmy Carter | |
| 2 |  |
Duncan, CharlesCharles Duncan | Texas | August 24, 1979 | January 20, 1981 | Democratic | ||
| 3 |  |
Edwards, JamesJames Edwards | South Carolina | January 23, 1981 | November 5, 1982 | Republican | Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan | |
| 4 |  |
Hodel, DonaldDonald Hodel | Oregon | November 5, 1982 | February 7, 1985 | Republican | ||
| 5 |  |
Herrington, JohnJohn Herrington | California | February 7, 1985 | January 20, 1989 | Republican | ||
| 6 |  |
Watkins, JamesJames Watkins | California | March 1, 1989 | January 20, 1993 | Republican | Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush | |
| 7 |  |
O'Leary, HazelHazel O'Leary | Virginia | January 22, 1993 | January 20, 1997 | Democratic | Clinton, BillBill Clinton | |
| 8 |  |
Peña, FedericoFederico Peña | Colorado | March 12, 1997 | June 30, 1998 | Democratic | ||
| 9 |  |
Richardson, BillBill Richardson | New Mexico | August 18, 1998 | January 20, 2001 | Democratic | ||
| 10 |  |
Abraham, SpencerSpencer Abraham | Michigan | January 20, 2001 | February 1, 2005 | Republican | Bush, George W.George W. Bush | |
| 11 |  |
Bodman, SamuelSamuel Bodman | Illinois | February 1, 2005 | January 20, 2009 | Republican | ||
| 12 |  |
Chu, StevenSteven Chu | California | January 20, 2009 | April 22, 2013 | Democratic | Obama, BarackBarack Obama | |
| – |  |
Poneman, DanielDaniel Poneman | Ohio | April 22, 2013 | May 21, 2013 | Democratic | ||
| 13 |  |
Moniz, ErnestErnest Moniz | Massachusetts | May 21, 2013 | January 20, 2017 | Democratic | ||
| 14 |  |
Perry, RickRick Perry | Texas | March 2, 2017 | Incumbent | Republican | Trump, DonaldDonald Trump | |
See also[edit]
- List of living former members of the United States Cabinet
- United States Secretary of Transportation
- White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy
References[edit]
- ^ "3 U.S. Code § 19 - Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President; officers eligible to act | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute". Law.cornell.edu. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
- ^ "Origins". U.S. Department of Energy. Archived from the original on 2007-07-12. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
- ^ "The Clinton Administration". The Washington Post. 2000-02-18. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
- ^ Davenport, Coral (2016-12-12). "Rick Perry, Ex-Governor of Texas, Is Trump’s Pick as Energy Secretary". The New York Times. Retrieved 2017-06-14.
- ^ "Biography of James Schlesinger Origins". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
- ^ "President Hazel R. O'Leary Honored by Urban League". Fisk University. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
- ^ "Federico F. Peña to be Sworn in as the Eighth Secretary of Energy". U.S. Department of Energy. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
External links[edit]
- "Official site of U.S. Department of Energy". U.S. Department of Energy. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
- "Secretaries of Energy". U.S. Department of Energy. Retrieved 2016-10-17.
| Current U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Elaine Chao as Secretary of Transportation |
Order of Precedence of the United States as Secretary of Energy |
Succeeded by Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education |
| Current U.S. presidential line of succession | ||
| Preceded by Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson |
15th in line | Succeeded by Secretary of Education Betsy Devos |
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| Deputy Secretary of Energy |
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|---|---|---|
| Under Secretary of Energy for Energy and Environment |
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| Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security | ||
| Under Secretary of Energy for Science | ||
| Assistant Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Energy | ||
| Power Marketing Administration | ||
| National Laboratory System | ||
| Energy Department Facilities and Reservations | ||
| Independent Agency | ||
