Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere

Last updated

United States
Under Secretary of Commerce
for Oceans and Atmosphere
Seal of the United States Department of Commerce.svg
Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere Laura Grimm.jpg
Incumbent
Laura Grimm
Acting  
since March 31, 2025
AppointerThe president
with Senate advice and consent
FormationOctober 3, 1970
First holderRobert M. White
Website www.noaa.gov

The under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere, or USC(OA), is a high-ranking official in the United States Department of Commerce and the principal advisor to the United States Secretary of Commerce on the environmental and scientific activities of the department. The under secretary is dual hatted as the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration within the Commerce Department.

Contents

The under secretary is appointed by the president of the United States with the consent of the United States Senate to serve at the pleasure of the president. The current acting under secretary is Laura Grimm. She was appointed NOAA Chief of Staff in 2025 and has performed the duties of under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere succeeding Nancy Hann on March 31, 2025 when the duties were delegated to Grimm by Secretary Lutnick.

In February 2025, President Trump nominated former acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere Neil Jacobs to the position. [1]

Overview

As the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the under secretary oversees the day-to-day functions of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as well as laying out its strategic and operational future. [2]

Components of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that the Administrator oversees include the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Ocean Service, National Weather Service, Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, Marine and Aviation Operations, and the NOAA Corps. [2]

With the rank of under secretary, the USC(OA) is a Level III position within the Executive Schedule [3] Since January 2023, the annual rate of pay for Level III is $195,000. [4] The under secretary ranks fifth in the line of succession for the office of Secretary of Commerce. [5]

History

The position of Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere was created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Fisheries Program Authorization Act of 1985. The position was created to serve as the Administrator of NOAA. It also created an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to serve as Deputy Administrator of NOAA. [6] William Evans was the first person to have the title of Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere. The position of Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was created earlier by the Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970. [7]

During the first Donald Trump administration, the agency never had a confirmed leader. Trump first nominated former AccuWeather CEO Barry Myers to serve as Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere on Oct 12, 2017. His nomination was returned to President Trump by the Senate on January 3, 2018, [8] resubmitted on January 8, 2018, returned again on January 3, 2019, [9] and resubmitted again on January 16, 2019. [10] In November 2019, Myers withdrew his nomination, citing health concerns. [11] A month later, Trump nominated Neil Jacobs, then the acting administrator, to be the 11th administrator. [12] Though Jacobs had Senate confirmation hearings in May 2020, he was never confirmed, in part because of the so-called Sharpiegate incident.

Reporting officials

Officials reporting to the USC(OA)/Administrator include:

Officeholders

From 1970 to 1988, the head of NOAA was the NOAA Administrator. Starting with Bill Evans in 1988, that person held the title of Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.

  Denotes an Acting Administrator of NOAA
No.PortraitNameTook officeLeft officeRefTenure President
serving under
1 Bob White NOAA.jpg Robert M. White October 3, 1970July 13, 19773 years, 310 days Richard Nixon
2 years, 164 days Gerald Ford
174 days
(6 years, 283 days total)		 Jimmy Carter
2 Richard A Frank.jpg Richard A. Frank July 13, 1977January 20, 19813 years, 191 days
actingJames P. WalshJanuary 20, 1981June 10, 1981141 days Ronald Reagan
3 John Vincent Byrne NOAA.jpg John V. Byrne June 10, 1981November 15, 1984 [13] 3 years, 158 days
acting Anthony J. Calio November 15, 1984October 4, 1985 [13] 323 days
4October 4, 1985September 15, 19871 year, 346 days
(2 years, 304 days total)
actingJ. Curtis Mack IISeptember 15, 1987March 31, 1988198 days
5 William Eugene Evans.jpg William Eugene Evans March 31, 1988August 7, 1989 [14] 295 days
199 days
(1 year, 129 days total)		 George H. W. Bush
6 John A Knauss NOAA.jpg John A. Knauss August 7, 1989February 26, 1993 [14] 3 years, 166 days
37 days
(3 years, 203 days total)		 Bill Clinton
acting Diana Josephson February 26, 1993May 28, 199391 days
7 D James Baker NOAA.jpg D. James Baker May 28, 1993January 20, 2001 [15] 7 years, 237 days
acting Gudes.jpg Scott GudesJanuary 20, 2001December 10, 2001 [16] 324 days George W. Bush
8 Conrad Lautenbacher.jpg Conrad C. Lautenbacher December 10, 2001October 31, 2008 [16] [17] 6 years, 326 days
acting William J Brennan.jpg William J. BrennanNovember 1, 2008March 19, 2009 [18] 81 days
58 days
(139 days total)		 Barack Obama
9 LubchencoJane-NOAA.jpg Jane Lubchenco March 20, 2009February 28, 2013 [19] [20] 3 years, 345 days
acting Kathryn D. Sullivan NOAA Leadership.jpg Kathryn D. Sullivan March 1, 2013March 6, 20141 year, 5 days
10March 6, 2014January 20, 2017 [21] 2 years, 320 days
(3 years, 325 days total)
acting Ben-friedman-noaa.jpg Benjamin FriedmanJanuary 20, 2017October 25, 2017 [22] 278 days Donald Trump
acting Timothy Gallaudet official photo.jpg Timothy Gallaudet October 25, 2017February 25, 2019 [23] [24] 1 year, 123 days
acting Neil Jacobs official portrait (cropped).jpg Neil Jacobs February 25, 2019January 20, 2021 [24] 1 year, 330 days
acting Ben-friedman-noaa.jpg Benjamin FriedmanJanuary 20, 2021June 22, 2021153 days Joe Biden
11 Richard W. Spinrad, NOAA Administrator 2.jpg Rick Spinrad June 22, 2021January 20, 2025 [25] [26] 3 years, 211 days
acting Vice Admiral Nancy Hann.jpg Vice Admiral
Nancy Hann 		January 20, 2025March 31, 202570 days Donald Trump
acting Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere Laura Grimm.jpg Laura GrimmMarch 31, 2025Present [27] 139 days

References

  1. ↑ Borunda, Alejandra; Simon, Julia (February 5, 2005). "Trump picks Neil Jacobs to head NOAA, a scientist with 'Sharpiegate' ties". NPR. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
  2. 1 2 "NOAA Home Page - Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., U.S. Navy (Ret.) Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator" . Retrieved September 24, 2007.
  3. ↑ "US CODE: Title 15,1503b. Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere; duties; appointment; compensation" . Retrieved September 24, 2007.
  4. ↑ "Salary Table No. 2023-EX" . Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Executive Order on Succession at the Department of Commerce" . Retrieved September 24, 2007.
  6. ↑ "National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Fisheries Program Authorization Act of 1985" . Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  7. ↑ "REORGANIZATION PLAN NO. 4 OF 1970" . Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  8. ↑ "PN1099 — Barry Lee Myers — Department of Commerce". U.S. Congress. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  9. ↑ "PN1364 — Barry Lee Myers — Department of Commerce". U.S. Congress. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  10. ↑ "PN68 — Barry Lee Myers — Department of Commerce". U.S. Congress. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  11. ↑ "White House pick to lead NOAA withdraws nomination, citing health concerns". The Washington Post. November 20, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  12. ↑ Hotakainen, Rob (December 18, 2019). "Trump nominates acting NOAA leader to be permanent chief". Science Magazine. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  13. 1 2 Thomas, William (August 23, 2017). "Trump Lags Predecessors in Naming Science Agency Leaders". American Institute of Physics . Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  14. 1 2 Knauss, John A. (Winter 1989). "Memorandum for all NOAA Staff" (PDF). The National Cooperative Observer Newsletter. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 1, 2012. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  15. ↑ Lawrence, Richard (May 31, 1993). "CLINTON EXPECTED TO NAME GARTEN TO COMMERCE POST MANY KEY SLOTS REMAIN UNFILLED" . The Journal of Commerce . Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  16. 1 2 Miller, David. "CONRAD LAUTENBACHER IS THE NEW NOAA ADMINISTRATOR". Archived from the original on February 11, 2017. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  17. ↑ "NOAA Administrator Announces Resignation". Maritime Reporter Magazine. September 25, 2008.
  18. ↑ "Brennan Becomes NOAA Head". SeafoodSource. November 3, 2008.
  19. ↑ "NOAA Releases Research Update". University of Washington. April 23, 2009.
  20. ↑ "NOAA Administrator Lubchenco to Resign". University of Washington. December 13, 2012.
  21. ↑ "Kathryn Sullivan confirmed as NOAA administrator". NOAA. March 6, 2014.
  22. ↑ Smith, Marcia (January 16, 2017). "Benjamin Friedman to be Acting NOAA Administrator". SpacePolicyOnline.
  23. ↑ Smith, Marcia (October 29, 2017). "TODAY TIDBITS: OCTOBER 29, 2017". SpacePolicyOnline. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  24. 1 2 Samenow, Jason (February 26, 2019). "NOAA delays launch of 'next generation' weather forecast model and names new acting head". The Washington Post . Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  25. ↑ "Richard W. Spinrad sworn in as NOAA administrator". NOAA. June 22, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  26. ↑ Freedman, Andrew (January 9, 2025). "NOAA chief defends agency's weather, climate, other work". Axios .
  27. ↑ Cusick, Daniel (April 2, 2025). "NOAA chief of staff elevated to acting administrator". E&E News .
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