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.
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.
PortraitNameTook officeLeft officeTenurePresident 1Robert M. White October 3, 1970July 13, 1977 Richard Nixon Gerald Ford Jimmy Carter 2Richard A. FrankJuly 13, 1977January 20, 1981 acting James P. Walsh January 20, 1981 June 10, 1981 Ronald Reagan 3 John V. Byrne June 10, 1981 November 15, 1984 acting Anthony J. Calio November 15, 1984 October 4, 1985 4 October 4, 1985 September 15, 1987 acting J. Curtis Mack II September 15, 1987 March 31, 1988 5 William Eugene Evans March 31, 1988 August 7, 1989 George H. W. Bush 6 John A. Knauss August 7, 1989 February 26, 1993 Bill Clinton acting Diana Josephson February 26, 1993 May 28, 1993 7 D. James Baker May 28, 1993 January 20, 2001 acting Scott Gudes January 20, 2001 December 10, 2001 George W. Bush 8 Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher December 10, 2001 October 31, 2008 acting William J. Brennan November 1, 2008 March 19, 2009 Barack Obama 9 Jane Lubchenco March 20, 2009 February 28, 2013 acting Kathryn D. Sullivan March 1, 2013 March 6, 2014 10 March 6, 2014 January 20, 2017 acting Vice AdmiralManson K. Brown January 20, 2017 January 20, 2017 Donald Trump acting Benjamin Friedman January 20, 2017 October 25, 2017 acting Timothy Gallaudet October 25, 2017 February 25, 2019 acting Neil Jacobs February 25, 2019 January 20, 2021 acting Stephen M. Volz January 20, 2021 January 20, 2021 Joe Biden acting Benjamin Friedman January 20, 2021 June 22, 2021 11 Rick Spinrad June 22, 2021 January 20, 2025 acting Michael C. Morgan January 20, 2025 January 20, 2025 Donald Trump acting Vice AdmiralNancy Hann January 20, 2025 March 31, 2025 acting Laura Grimm March 31, 2025 November 14, 2025 12 Neil Jacobs November 14, 2025 Present
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