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.
| United States Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere | |
|---|---|
Incumbent since November 14, 2025Neil Jacobs | |
| Appointer | The president with Senate advice and consent |
| Formation | October 3, 1970 |
| First holder | Robert M. White |
| Website | www |
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.
In February 2025, President Trump nominated former acting Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere Neil Jacobs to the position. He was confirmed to the position on October 7.
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.
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.
With the rank of under secretary, the USC(OA) is a Level III position within the Executive Schedule Since January 2023, the annual rate of pay for Level III is $195,000. The under secretary ranks fifth in the line of succession for the office of Secretary of Commerce.
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. 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.
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, resubmitted on January 8, 2018, returned again on January 3, 2019, and resubmitted again on January 16, 2019. In November 2019, Myers withdrew his nomination, citing health concerns. A month later, Trump nominated Neil Jacobs, then the acting administrator, to be the 11th administrator. 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:
- Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Conservation and Management/Deputy Administrator
- Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction/Deputy Administrator
- NOAA Chief Scientist
- Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere
- Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Operations
- Assistant Administrator, National Marine Fisheries Service
- Assistant Administrator, National Ocean Service
- Assistant Administrator, National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service
- Assistant Administrator, Oceanic and Atmospheric Research
- Assistant Administrator, National Weather Service
- Assistant Administrator, Program Planning and Integration
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.
| No. | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Ref | Tenure | President serving under | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert M. White | October 3, 1970 | July 13, 1977 | 3 years, 310 days | Richard Nixon | |||
| 2 years, 164 days | Gerald Ford | |||||||
| 174 days (6 years, 283 days total) | Jimmy Carter | |||||||
| 2 | Richard A. Frank | July 13, 1977 | January 20, 1981 | 3 years, 191 days | ||||
| acting | James P. Walsh | January 20, 1981 | June 10, 1981 | 141 days | Ronald Reagan | |||
| 3 | John V. Byrne | June 10, 1981 | November 15, 1984 | 3 years, 158 days | ||||
| acting | Anthony J. Calio | November 15, 1984 | October 4, 1985 | 323 days | ||||
| 4 | October 4, 1985 | September 15, 1987 | 1 year, 346 days (2 years, 304 days total) | |||||
| acting | J. Curtis Mack II | September 15, 1987 | March 31, 1988 | 198 days | ||||
| 5 | William Eugene Evans | March 31, 1988 | August 7, 1989 | 295 days | ||||
| 199 days (1 year, 129 days total) | George H. W. Bush | |||||||
| 6 | John A. Knauss | August 7, 1989 | February 26, 1993 | 3 years, 166 days | ||||
| 37 days (3 years, 203 days total) | Bill Clinton | |||||||
| acting | Diana Josephson | February 26, 1993 | May 28, 1993 | 91 days | ||||
| 7 | D. James Baker | May 28, 1993 | January 20, 2001 | 7 years, 237 days | ||||
| acting | Scott Gudes | January 20, 2001 | December 10, 2001 | 324 days | George W. Bush | |||
| 8 | Conrad C. Lautenbacher | December 10, 2001 | October 31, 2008 | 6 years, 326 days | ||||
| acting | William J. Brennan | November 1, 2008 | March 19, 2009 | 81 days | ||||
| 58 days (139 days total) | Barack Obama | |||||||
| 9 | Jane Lubchenco | March 20, 2009 | February 28, 2013 | 3 years, 345 days | ||||
| acting | Kathryn D. Sullivan | March 1, 2013 | March 6, 2014 | 1 year, 5 days | ||||
| 10 | March 6, 2014 | January 20, 2017 | 2 years, 320 days (3 years, 325 days total) | |||||
| acting | Benjamin Friedman | January 20, 2017 | October 25, 2017 | 278 days | Donald Trump | |||
| acting | Timothy Gallaudet | October 25, 2017 | February 25, 2019 | 1 year, 123 days | ||||
| acting | Neil Jacobs | February 25, 2019 | January 20, 2021 | 1 year, 330 days | ||||
| acting | Benjamin Friedman | January 20, 2021 | June 22, 2021 | 153 days | Joe Biden | |||
| 11 | Rick Spinrad | June 22, 2021 | January 20, 2025 | 3 years, 211 days | ||||
| acting | Vice Admiral Nancy Hann | January 20, 2025 | March 31, 2025 | 70 days | Donald Trump | |||
| acting | Laura Grimm | March 31, 2025 | November 14, 2025 | 228 days | ||||
| 12 | Neil Jacobs | November 14, 2025 | Present | 34 days | ||||
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