United States Deputy Secretary of Commerce

The Deputy Secretary of Commerce is a high-ranking position within the U.S. Department of Commerce. It was created on December 13, 1979, when President Jimmy Carter sent a letter to the U.S. Senate and nominated Luther H. Hodges, Jr., who then currently held the title of Under Secretary of Commerce. The Deputy Secretary serves as the Department’s chief operating officer, with responsibility for the day-to-day management of its approximately $6.5 billion budget, 13 operating units, and 38,000 employees. In that capacity, the Deputy Secretary is also a member of the President’s Management Council.

History

The Deputy Secretary serves as the principal deputy of the Secretary of Commerce in all matters affecting the Department and performs continuing and special duties as the Secretary may assign including, as may be specified by the Secretary, the exercise of policy direction and general supervision over operating units not placed under other Secretarial Officers or other Department officials. In addition, the Deputy Secretary acts as Secretary if the Secretary has died, resigned, or is otherwise unable to perform the functions and duties of the office of Secretary.

Rebecca M. Blank was the Deputy Secretary of Commerce until she stepped down on May 31, 2013. She was confirmed by unanimous consent by the U.S. Senate in March 2012. She had been serving as Acting Deputy Secretary since November 18, 2010.^[1] She replaced Dennis F. Hightower, who was Deputy Secretary of Commerce from August 2009 to August 2010.^[2]

Patrick D. Gallagher was appointed Acting Deputy Secretary on June 1, 2013.^[3] Bruce H. Andrews was confirmed as the next Deputy Secretary on July 24, 2014.

List of Deputy Secretaries of Commerce

References

External links

• The official biography of Sampson, the former Deputy Secretary
• The mission and organization of the Department of Commerce, in which the Deputy Secretary's functions and duties are listed
• Executive order on the line of succession for the Secretary of Commerce

Agencies under the United States Department of Commerce
Headquarters: Herbert C. Hoover Building Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Commerce Vacant, Deputy Secretary of Commerce
Deputy Secretary of Commerce	Economic Development Administration National Technical Information Service Minority Business Development Agency National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security	Bureau of Industry and Security
Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs	Economics and Statistics Administration Bureau of Economic Analysis Census Bureau
Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade	International Trade Administration
Under Secretary of Commerce and Administrator for NOAA	National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps
Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology	National Institute of Standards and Technology
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property	Patent and Trademark Office