The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere is 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. The incumbent Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere is Conrad C. Lautenbacher, who was appointed December 19, 2001.¹

Components of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that the Administrator oversees include the National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Services, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Ocean Service, National Weather Service, Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, Marine and Aviation Operations, and the NOAA Corps.¹

The position of Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere was created by the Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970. The Under Secretary is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Under Secretary is paid at Level III of the Executive Schedule Pay Rates,² meaning he or she receives a basic annual salary of $152,000 as of 2006.³ The Under Secretary is fifth in the line of succession for the office of Secretary of Commerce.⁴

References

v • d • e Agencies under the United States Department of Commerce Headquarters: Herbert C. Hoover Building · Secretary of Commerce · Deputy Secretary of Commerce Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Bureau of Industry and Security Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs Economics and Statistics Administration · Bureau of Economic Analysis · Census Bureau · Economic Development Administration Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade International Trade Administration · Minority Business Development Agency Under Secretary of Commerce and Administrator for NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration · National Telecommunications and Information Administration · National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property Patent and Trademark Office Under Secretary of Commerce for Technology Technology Administration · National Institute of Standards and Technology · National Technical Information Service · Office of Technology Policy