United States Secretary of Energy

Secretary of Energy of the United States of America

Seal of the Department of Energy

Flag of the Secretary of Energy
Incumbent
Rick Perry
since March 2, 2017
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.energy.gov

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.

List of Secretaries of Energy

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

Living former Secretaries of Energy

As of August 2017, there are ten living former Secretaries of Energy, the oldest being Charles Duncan, Jr. (served 1979-1981, born 1926). The most recent Secretary of Energy to die was James B. Edwards (served 1981–1982, born 1927), on December 26, 2014. The most recently serving Secretary to die was James D. Watkins (served 1989-1993, born 1927) on July 26, 2012.

Name Term Date of birth (and age)
Charles Duncan, Jr. 1979–1981 September 9, 1926
Donald P. Hodel 1982–1985 May 23, 1935
John S. Herrington 1985–1989 May 31, 1939
Hazel R. O'Leary 1993–1997 May 17, 1937
Federico Peña 1997–1998 March 15, 1947
Bill Richardson 1998–2001 November 15, 1947
Spencer Abraham 2001–2005 June 12, 1952
Samuel Bodman 2005–2009 November 26, 1938
Steven Chu 2009–2013 February 28, 1948
Ernest Moniz 2013–2017 December 22, 1944

See also

References

  1. ↑ "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.
  2. ↑ "Origins". U.S. Department of Energy. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
  3. ↑ "The Clinton Administration". The Washington Post. 2000-02-18. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ "Biography of James Schlesinger Origins". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
  6. ↑ "President Hazel R. O'Leary Honored by Urban League". Fisk University. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
  7. ↑ "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.
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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