United States
Under Secretary of State
for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Jose W. Fernandez[1]
since August 6, 2021
NominatorPresident of the United States
Inaugural holderWilliam L. Clayton
Formation1946
WebsiteOfficial Website

The Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment is an undersecretary position within the United States Department of State. The Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment serves as senior economic advisor at the State Department and advises the Secretary of State on international economic policy and is often referred to as the senior economic diplomat of the United States. The Under Secretary also leads the work of the department on trade, agriculture, aviation, and bilateral trade relations with America's economic partners.[2]

The position is called the “E” within the government. Responsibilities include international trade and investment policy; international finance, development, and debt policy; economic sanctions and combating terrorist financing; international energy security policy; international telecommunications and transportation policies; support for U.S. businesses, and economic policy analysis, public diplomacy and private sector outreach. The E also serves as the Privacy Shield ombudsperson.[2]

History

An Act of Congress first authorized an Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs on August 1, 1946, for a 2-year period as the third-ranking officer in the department. The position was not renewed, however, and between 1947 and 1958 the ranking officer in the department handling foreign economic matters was either a Deputy Under Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of State. On June 30, 1958, Congress re-established the position of Under Secretary for Economic Affairs in the Mutual Security Act. The following year, the Department of State Organization Act of July 30, 1959, authorized the President to appoint either an Under Secretary for Political Affairs or an Under Secretary for Economic Affairs.[2]

Between 1959 and 1972, during periods when there was no Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, the ranking officer for foreign economic affairs was again either a Deputy Under Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of State. On July 13, 1972, Congress established separate and permanent positions at the Under Secretary of State level for Economic Affairs and for Political Affairs, in the Foreign Relations Authorization Act. On August 16, 1985, Congress changed the title to include Agricultural Affairs. The Under Secretary for Economic and Agricultural Affairs serves as the principal adviser to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary (previously Under Secretary) on matters relating to foreign economic and commercial policy. Specified duties, responsibilities, and assignments have varied over time. Each incumbent is commissioned with a functional designation as part of his title. On May 12, 1994, the title was changed to Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs. It was changed again in 2011 to Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment after the reorganization of the EEB bureau to EB, and the spin off of two new bureaus under the Under Secretary.[3]

As of 2019, the E is also charged with advancing the State Department's economic development agenda; elevating and intensifying the department's efforts related to energy security, clean energy, and environmental sustainability; and fostering innovation through robust science, entrepreneurship, and technology policies. The E covers issues that reach from the vastness of space, through the Office of Space Affairs, to the depths of the oceans with the goal of advancing U.S. strategic interests through policy aimed at ensuring that economic growth and a healthy planet go hand in hand.[2][4]

List of Under Secretaries of State for Economic Affairs, 1946–1985

Name Assumed office Left office President served under
William L. Clayton August 3, 1946 October 15, 1947 Harry S. Truman
C. Douglas Dillon July 1, 1958 June 11, 1959 Dwight D. Eisenhower
George W. Ball February 1, 1961 December 3, 1961 John F. Kennedy
Thomas C. Mann March 18, 1965 May 31, 1966 Lyndon B. Johnson
William J. Casey February 2, 1973 March 14, 1974 Richard Nixon
Charles W. Robinson January 3, 1975 April 9, 1976 Gerald Ford
William D. Rogers June 18, 1976 December 31, 1976 Gerald Ford
Richard N. Cooper April 8, 1977 January 19, 1981 Jimmy Carter
Myer Rashish June 29, 1981 January 20, 1982 Ronald Reagan
W. Allen Wallis September 23, 1982 January 20, 1989 Ronald Reagan

List of Under Secretaries of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs, 1985–1994

The office of Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs was renamed the Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs on August 16, 1985.

Name Assumed office Left office President served under
W. Allen Wallis September 23, 1982 January 20, 1989 Ronald Reagan
Richard T. McCormack April 14, 1989 May 3, 1991 George H. W. Bush
Robert Zoellick May 20, 1991 August 23, 1992 George H. W. Bush
Joan E. Spero April 1, 1993 February 24, 1997 Bill Clinton

List of Under Secretaries of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs, 1994–2011

The office of Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs was renamed the Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs on May 12, 1994.[5]

Name Assumed office Left office President served under
Joan E. Spero April 1, 1993 February 24, 1997 Bill Clinton
Stuart E. Eizenstat June 6, 1997 July 16, 1999 Bill Clinton
Alan P. Larson November 24, 1999 February 25, 2005 Bill Clinton and George W. Bush
Josette Sheeran August 23, 2005 April 4, 2007 George W. Bush
Reuben Jeffery III June 27, 2007 January 20, 2009 George W. Bush
Robert Hormats September 23, 2009 July 31, 2013 Barack Obama

List of Under Secretaries of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, 2011–present

The office of Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs was renamed the Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment on December 8, 2011.[6]

Name Assumed office Left office President served under
Robert Hormats September 23, 2009 July 31, 2013 Barack Obama
Catherine A. Novelli April 22, 2014 January 20, 2017 Barack Obama
Manisha Singh (Acting) September 28, 2018 June 20, 2019 Donald Trump
Keith J. Krach June 21, 2019 January 20, 2021 Donald Trump
Marcia Bernicat (Acting)[7] January 20, 2021 August 5, 2021 Joe Biden
Jose W. Fernandez August 6, 2021 Present Joe Biden

References

  1. ↑ "Jose W. Fernandez". United States Department of State. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment". Office of the Historian. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment - Principal Officers - People - Department History - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Office of Space Affairs - United States Department of State".
  5. ↑ "Administrative Timeline of the Department of State". history.state.gov.
  6. ↑ Rogin, Josh (2011-12-08). State Department unveils new super-office: economics, energy, and the environment. FP (Foreign Policy Magazine), 8 December 2011. Retrieved on 2017-01-29 from https://foreignpolicy.com/2011/12/08/state-department-unveils-new-super-office-economics-energy-and-the-environment/.
  7. ↑ "Marcia Bernicat - United States Department of State".
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