The United States secretary of energy is the head of the United States Department of Energy, a member of the Cabinet of the United States, and fifteenth in the presidential line of succession. The position was created on October 1, 1977, when President Jimmy Carter signed the Department of Energy Organization Act, establishing the department.[2] The energy secretary and the department originally 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 the maintenance of environmental quality.[3] Former secretary of defenseJames Schlesinger served as the first secretary of energy. As a Republican nominated to the post by Democratic president Jimmy Carter, Schlesinger's appointment marks the only time a president has chosen a member of another political party for the position. Schlesinger is also the only secretary to be dismissed from the post.[4]Hazel O'Leary, Bill Clinton's first secretary of energy, was the first female and first African American to hold the position.[5] The first Hispanic to serve as Energy Secretary was Clinton's second energy secretary, Federico Peña.[6]Spencer Abraham became the first Arab American to hold the position on January 20, 2001, 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 president Barack Obama. Chu was also the longest-serving secretary of energy and the first individual to join the Cabinet after having received a Nobel Prize.[7]
President Joe Biden's nominee to be Secretary of Energy, former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm, was confirmed on February 25, 2021. Granholm is the second woman to lead the Department of Energy.[8]
In addition to responsibilities related to generation and use of energy, the secretary is the most senior official other than the president of the United States or Secretary of Defense with primary responsibility for the nation's ~3,800 viable nuclear weapons. This arrangement is intended to maintain full civilian control over strategic weapons, except as directed by the president for specific military uses.[citation needed] The department of energy is responsible for the building, maintenance, and disposal of all nuclear weapons within the United States' arsenal in addition to safeguarding these weapons when they are not actively deployed in military service. Under the terms of several successive treaties, most recently New START, the United States has reduced its strategic arsenal to 1500 deployed weapons. Consequently, many older legacy weapons systems have been dismantled or scheduled for dismantlement, with their core radioactive fuel - generally plutonium - being reprocessed into reactor-grade or space exploration fuel.[citation needed]
^"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 June 14, 2017.
united, states, secretary, energy, united, states, secretary, energy, head, united, states, department, energy, member, cabinet, united, states, fifteenth, presidential, line, succession, position, created, october, 1977, when, president, jimmy, carter, signed. The United States secretary of energy is the head of the United States Department of Energy a member of the Cabinet of the United States and fifteenth in the presidential line of succession The position was created on October 1 1977 when President Jimmy Carter signed the Department of Energy Organization Act establishing the department 2 The energy secretary and the department originally 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 the maintenance of environmental quality 3 Former secretary of defense James Schlesinger served as the first secretary of energy As a Republican nominated to the post by Democratic president Jimmy Carter Schlesinger s appointment marks the only time a president has chosen a member of another political party for the position Schlesinger is also the only secretary to be dismissed from the post 4 Hazel O Leary Bill Clinton s first secretary of energy was the first female and first African American to hold the position 5 The first Hispanic to serve as Energy Secretary was Clinton s second energy secretary Federico Pena 6 Spencer Abraham became the first Arab American to hold the position on January 20 2001 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 president Barack Obama Chu was also the longest serving secretary of energy and the first individual to join the Cabinet after having received a Nobel Prize 7 United States Secretary of EnergySeal of the departmentFlag of the secretaryIncumbentJennifer Granholmsince February 25 2021Department of EnergyStyleMadam Secretary informal The Honorable formal Member ofCabinetNational Security CouncilReports toPresidentSeatJames V Forrestal Building Washington D C AppointerThe Presidentwith Senate advice and consentTerm lengthNo fixed termConstituting instrument42 U S C 7131FormationAugust 6 1977First holderJames R SchlesingerSuccessionFifteenth 1 DeputyDeputy SecretarySalaryExecutive Schedule level IWebsiteEnergy govPresident Joe Biden s nominee to be Secretary of Energy former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm was confirmed on February 25 2021 Granholm is the second woman to lead the Department of Energy 8 Contents 1 Nuclear weapons 2 List of secretaries of energy 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksNuclear weapons editIn addition to responsibilities related to generation and use of energy the secretary is the most senior official other than the president of the United States or Secretary of Defense with primary responsibility for the nation s 3 800 viable nuclear weapons This arrangement is intended to maintain full civilian control over strategic weapons except as directed by the president for specific military uses citation needed The department of energy is responsible for the building maintenance and disposal of all nuclear weapons within the United States arsenal in addition to safeguarding these weapons when they are not actively deployed in military service Under the terms of several successive treaties most recently New START the United States has reduced its strategic arsenal to 1500 deployed weapons Consequently many older legacy weapons systems have been dismantled or scheduled for dismantlement with their core radioactive fuel generally plutonium being reprocessed into reactor grade or space exploration fuel citation needed List of secretaries of energy editParties Democratic 7 Republican 9 citation needed Status Acting Secretary of Energy No Portrait Name State of residence Took office Left office Party President s 1 nbsp James Schlesinger Virginia August 6 1977 August 23 1979 Republican Jimmy Carter2 nbsp Charles Duncan Texas August 24 1979 January 20 1981 Democratic3 nbsp James Edwards South Carolina January 23 1981 November 5 1982 Republican Ronald Reagan4 nbsp Donald Hodel Oregon November 5 1982 February 7 1985 Republican5 nbsp John Herrington California February 7 1985 January 20 1989 Republican6 nbsp James Watkins California March 1 1989 January 20 1993 Republican George H W Bush7 nbsp Hazel O Leary Virginia January 22 1993 January 20 1997 Democratic Bill Clinton nbsp Charles B Curtis Pennsylvania January 20 1997 March 12 1997 Democratic8 nbsp Federico Pena Colorado March 12 1997 June 30 1998 Democratic9 nbsp Bill Richardson New Mexico August 18 1998 January 20 2001 Democratic10 nbsp Spencer Abraham Michigan January 20 2001 February 1 2005 Republican George W Bush11 nbsp Samuel Bodman Illinois February 1 2005 January 20 2009 Republican12 nbsp Steven Chu California January 20 2009 April 22 2013 Democratic Barack Obama nbsp Daniel Poneman Ohio April 22 2013 May 21 2013 Democratic13 nbsp Ernest Moniz Massachusetts May 21 2013 January 20 2017 Democratic nbsp Grace Bochenek January 20 2017 March 2 2017 Donald Trump14 nbsp Rick Perry Texas March 2 2017 December 1 2019 Republican15 nbsp Dan Brouillette Texas December 1 2019 December 4 2019 RepublicanDecember 4 2019 January 20 2021 nbsp David Huizenga January 20 2021 February 25 2021 Democratic Joe Biden16 nbsp Jennifer Granholm Michigan February 25 2021 Incumbent DemocraticSee also editUnited States Secretary of Transportation White House Office of Energy and Climate Change PolicyReferences 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 June 14 2017 Origins U S Department of Energy Archived from the original on July 12 2007 Retrieved July 29 2007 The Clinton Administration The Washington Post February 18 2000 Retrieved July 29 2007 Biography of James Schlesinger Origins U S Department of Defense Retrieved August 13 2007 President Hazel R O Leary Honored by Urban League Fisk University Archived from the original on September 27 2007 Retrieved August 13 2007 Federico F Pena to be Sworn in as the Eighth Secretary of Energy U S Department of Energy Archived from the original on September 29 2007 Retrieved August 13 2007 Rudin Ken December 15 2008 npr org NPR Retrieved November 21 2023 Secretaries of Energy Energy gov Retrieved November 21 2023 External links editU S order of precedence ceremonial Preceded byPete Buttigiegas Secretary of Transportation Order of precedence of the United Statesas Secretary of Energy Succeeded byMiguel Cardonaas Secretary of EducationU S presidential line of successionPreceded bySecretary of TransportationPete Buttigieg 15th in lineIneligible Succeeded bySecretary of EducationMiguel Cardona Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title United States Secretary of Energy amp oldid 1202476291, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
