The Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, or OUSEA, is a high-ranking official in the United States Department of Commerce that serves as the principal adviser to the United States Secretary of Commerce on economic analysis.
The under secretary is appointed by the president of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate to serve at the pleasure of the president. In October 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Jed Kolko to be under secretary. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 7, 2022, and sworn in on April 19. Kolko resigned in February 2024 and was succeeded by acting under secretary Oliver Wise.
Overview As the principal element of the Commerce Department for economic affairs, the under secretary provides timely economic analysis and disseminates national economic indicators. The under secretary serves as the department's representative to the president's Council of Economic Advisers, interagency panels on economic issues, and other government agencies concerned with economic matters. The under secretary's principal responsibilities include: economic forecasting, consultation with the private sector on economic and broad economic sectoral developments, and policy analysis and development in the areas of economic policy.
The under secretary oversees the United States Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. These two statistical agencies gather, calculate, and disseminate much demographic, social and economic data including reports on the nation's gross domestic product, retail sales, personal income, housing starts, inventory levels and international trade.
With the rank of under secretary, the USC(EA) is a Level III position within the Executive Schedule. Since January 2010, the annual rate of pay for Level III is $165,300.
History The position was created by an Act of Congress on June 16, 1982. The under secretary for economic affairs is fourth in the line of succession for secretary of commerce.
List of officeholders
Name Assumed office Left office Appointed by Robert G. Dederick 1982 1983 Ronald Reagan Sidney L. Jones October 3, 1983 November 1985 Robert T. Ortner November 1985 June 16, 1986 June 16, 1986 April 1989 Michael R. Darby July 26, 1989 January 1993 George H.W. Bush Everett M. Ehrlich 1993 1997 Bill Clinton Robert J. Shapiro 1997 March 2001 Kathleen Bell Cooper October 1, 2001 2005 George W. Bush Mark Doms 2005 October 5, 2006 Cynthia Glassman October 5, 2006 January 20, 2009Rebecca Blank June 9, 2009 March 29, 2012 Barack Obama Mark Doms January 3, 2013 September 18, 2015 Justin Antonipillai January 2016 December 2016 Brad Burke December 2016 August 2, 2017 Karen Dunn Kelley August 2, 2017 November 18, 2018 Donald Trump Brian C. Moyer November 18, 2018 March 2020 Jed Kolko April 19, 2022 February 2, 2024 Joe Biden Oliver Wise February 2, 2024 August 30, 2025 George Cook September 1, 2025 January 8, 2026 Donald Trump Joyce Meyer January 8, 2026 Present
Reporting officials Officials reporting to the under secretary include: Chief Economist Director, Bureau of the Census Director, Bureau of Economic Analysis
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