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; Ernest Moniz; since May 21, 2013
	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	Fourteenth in the United States Presidential Line of Succession
Deputy	Deputy Secretary of Energy
Salary	Executive Schedule, level 1
Website	www.doe.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.^[1] 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.^[2] The current Secretary of Energy is Ernest Moniz^[3] and president-elect Donald Trump plans to name Rick Perry as the next Secretary of Energy^[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] 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 first and only Nobel Prize winner to be a Cabinet secretary^[8] and the longest-serving Secretary of Energy. Spencer Abraham became the first Arab American to hold the position on November 15, 2004, serving under the administration of George W. Bush.

Secretaries of Energy[edit]

Parties

Democratic (6) Republican (7)

No.	Name	State of residence	Took office	Left office	Party
1	Schlesinger, James R.James R. Schlesinger	Virginia	000000001977-08-06-0000August 6, 1977	000000001979-08-23-0000August 23, 1979	Republican	Carter, JimmyJimmy Carter
2	Duncan, Jr., Charles W.Charles W. Duncan, Jr.	Texas	000000001979-08-24-0000August 24, 1979	000000001981-01-20-0000January 20, 1981	Democratic	Carter, JimmyJimmy Carter
3	Edwards, James B.James B. Edwards	South Carolina	000000001981-01-23-0000January 23, 1981	000000001982-11-05-0000November 5, 1982	Republican	Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan
4	Hodel, Donald P.Donald P. Hodel	Oregon	000000001982-11-05-0000November 5, 1982	000000001985-02-07-0000February 7, 1985	Republican
5	Herrington, John S.John S. Herrington	California	000000001985-02-07-0000February 7, 1985	000000001989-01-20-0000January 20, 1989	Republican
6	Watkins, James D.James D. Watkins	California	000000001989-03-01-0000March 1, 1989	000000001993-01-20-0000January 20, 1993	Republican	Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush
7	O'Leary, Hazel R.Hazel R. O'Leary	Virginia	000000001993-01-22-0000January 22, 1993	000000001997-01-20-0000January 20, 1997	Democratic	Clinton, BillBill Clinton
8	Peña, Federico F.Federico F. Peña	Colorado	000000001997-03-12-0000March 12, 1997	000000001998-06-30-0000June 30, 1998	Democratic
9	Richardson, William B.William B. Richardson	New Mexico	000000001998-08-18-0000August 18, 1998	000000002001-01-20-0000January 20, 2001	Democratic
10	Abraham, SpencerSpencer Abraham	Michigan	000000002001-01-20-0000January 20, 2001	000000002005-02-01-0000February 1, 2005	Republican	Bush, George W.George W. Bush
11	Bodman, Samuel W.Samuel W. Bodman	Illinois	000000002005-02-01-0000February 1, 2005	000000002009-01-20-0000January 20, 2009	Republican	Bush, George W.George W. Bush
12	Chu, StevenSteven Chu	California	000000002009-01-20-0000January 20, 2009	000000002013-04-22-0000April 22, 2013	Democratic	Obama, BarackBarack Obama
13	Moniz, ErnestErnest Moniz	Massachusetts	000000002013-05-21-0000May 21, 2013	000000002017-01-20-0000January 20, 2017	Democratic	Obama, BarackBarack Obama
14	Perry, RickRick Perry	Texas	000000002017-01-01-0000January 2017 Pending Senate confirmation	Nominee	Republican	Trump, DonaldDonald Trump

Living former Secretaries of Energy[edit]

As of December 2016, there are nine 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 of office	Date of birth (and age)
Charles Duncan, Jr.	1979–1981	(1926-09-09) September 9, 1926 (age 90)
Donald P. Hodel	1982–1985	(1935-05-23) May 23, 1935 (age 81)
John S. Herrington	1985–1989	(1939-05-31) May 31, 1939 (age 77)
Hazel R. O'Leary	1993–1997	(1937-05-17) May 17, 1937 (age 79)
Federico Peña	1997-1998	(1947-03-15) March 15, 1947 (age 69)
Bill Richardson	1998-2001	(1947-11-15) November 15, 1947 (age 69)
Spencer Abraham	2001-2005	(1952-06-12) June 12, 1952 (age 64)
Samuel Bodman	2005-2009	(1938-11-26) November 26, 1938 (age 78)
Steven Chu	2009-2013	(1948-02-28) February 28, 1948 (age 68)

References[edit]

^ "Origins". U.S. Department of Energy. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
^ "The Clinton Administration". The Washington Post. 2000-02-18. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
^ http://www.energy.gov/articles/dr-ernest-moniz-sworn-13th-secretary-energy
^ http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/13/us/politics/rick-perry-energy-secretary-trump.html?_r=0
^ "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. Retrieved 2007-08-13.
^ "Chu named energy chief". The Straits Times. 2008-12-12. Archived from the original on December 19, 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-22.

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.

United States presidential line of succession
Preceded by Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx	15th in line	Succeeded by Secretary of Education John King, Jr.

[1] "Origins". U.S. Department of Energy. Retrieved 2007-07-29.

[2] "The Clinton Administration". The Washington Post. 2000-02-18. Retrieved 2007-07-29.

[3] ttp://www.energy.gov/articles/dr-ernest-moniz-sworn-13th-secretary-energy

[4] ttp://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/13/us/politics/rick-perry-energy-secretary-trump.html?_r=0

[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. Retrieved 2007-08-13.

[8] "Chu named energy chief". The Straits Times. 2008-12-12. Archived from the original on December 19, 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-22.

[9] Sally Jewell is the current Secretary of the Interior, she is not a natural-born citizen (acquired U.S. citizenship by naturalization) and thus ineligible for the Presidency.

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v t e Agencies under the United States Department of Energy

Headquarters: James V. Forrestal Building Ernest Moniz, Secretary of Energy Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Deputy Secretary of Energy

Deputy Secretary of Energy	Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence Energy Information Administration ARPA-E

Under Secretary of Energy for Energy and Environment	Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security	National Nuclear Security Administration

Under Secretary of Energy for Science	Office of Science OSTI

Assistant Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Energy	Office of Nuclear Energy

Power Marketing Administration	Bonneville Power Administration Southeastern Power Administration Southwestern Power Administration Western Area Power Administration

National Laboratory System	Ames Argonne NBL CNM APS ATLAS EMC Berkeley ALS MF NCEM NERSCC ESN JGI Brookhaven AGS CFN NSLS NSLS II RHIC Fermilab TeV Idaho RESL JLab Livermore NARAC NIF Los Alamos DARHTF NETL Albany NREL Oak Ridge SNS CNMS HFIR NCCS Pacific Northwest EMSL PPPL NSTX TFTR SRNL Sandia Z SLAC SSRL

Energy Department Facilities and Reservations	Fernald NLO Hanford K-25 Kansas City Plant Nevada Test Site Area 19 Area 20 NHHOR Pantex Rocky Flats SSFL ETEC SRE SRS SPR WIPP Y-12 Yucca Mountain

Independent Agency	Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

v t e Leaders of the United States federal executive departments

Current	Agriculture Commerce Defense Education Energy Health and Human Services Homeland Security Housing and Urban Development Interior Justice Labor State Transportation Treasury Veterans Affairs

Past	Commerce and Labor Health, Education, and Welfare Navy Post Office War

United States Secretary of Energy

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Secretaries of Energy[edit]

Living former Secretaries of Energy[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

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Secretary of Energy of the United States of America
Seal of the Department of Energy
Flag of the Secretary of Energy
Incumbent Ernest Moniz since May 21, 2013
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	Fourteenth in the United States Presidential Line of Succession
Deputy	Deputy Secretary of Energy
Salary	Executive Schedule, level 1
Website	www.doe.gov

v t e United States Secretaries of Energy

Schlesinger Duncan Edwards Hodel Herrington Watkins O'Leary Peña Richardson Abraham Bodman Chu Moniz Perry (Nominee)

v t e Presidential line of succession in the United States of America

Vice President (Joe Biden) Speaker of the House of Representatives (Paul Ryan) President pro tempore of the Senate (Orrin Hatch) Secretary of State (John Kerry) Secretary of the Treasury (Jack Lew) Secretary of Defense (Ash Carter) Attorney General (Loretta Lynch) Secretary of the Interior (^[a]) Secretary of Agriculture (Tom Vilsack) Secretary of Commerce (Penny Pritzker) Secretary of Labor (Tom Perez) Secretary of Health and Human Services (Sylvia Mathews Burwell) Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (Julián Castro) Secretary of Transportation (Anthony Foxx) Secretary of Energy (Ernest Moniz) Secretary of Education (John King) Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Bob McDonald) Secretary of Homeland Security (Jeh Johnson)

^ Sally Jewell is the current Secretary of the Interior, she is not a natural-born citizen (acquired U.S. citizenship by naturalization) and thus ineligible for the Presidency.