United States Secretary of Energy

United States Secretary of Energy
Official Seal
Incumbent Dan Brouillette since December 3, 2019
Formation	August 6, 1977
First holder	James R. Schlesinger
Succession	Fifteenth
Website	www.doe.gov

The United States Secretary of Energy is the head of the United States Department of Energy, a member of the President's Cabinet, and fifteenth in the Presidential line of succession. The post was created with the formation of the Department of Energy on October 1, 1977 by President Jimmy Carter's signing of the Department of Energy Organization Act. The position was originally developed to focus on energy production and regulation. During the 1980s, the emphasis shifted to development of technology for better, more efficient energy sources as well as education regarding energy. As the Cold War ended, the department's efforts were more often devoted to nuclear waste disposal and maintenance of environmental quality.

List of Secretaries of Energy

The first Secretary of Energy, James Schlesinger

Hazel O'Leary, the first woman and African-American to hold the position

Spencer Abraham, Secretary from 2001 to 2005

Parties

      Democratic (6)       Republican (8)

No.	Portrait	Name	State of residence	Took office	Left office	Party	President(s)
1		Schlesinger, James R.James R. Schlesinger	Virginia	August 6, 1977	August 23, 1979	Republican		Carter, JimmyJimmy Carter
2		Duncan, Jr., Charles W.Charles W. Duncan, Jr.	Texas	August 24, 1979	January 20, 1981	Democratic
3		Edwards, James B.James B. Edwards	South Carolina	January 23, 1981	November 5, 1982	Republican		Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan
4		Hodel, Donald P.Donald P. Hodel	Oregon	November 5, 1982	February 7, 1985	Republican
5		Herrington, John S.John S. Herrington	California	February 7, 1985	January 20, 1989	Republican
6		Watkins, James D.James D. Watkins	California	March 1, 1989	January 20, 1993	Republican		Bush, George H. W.George H. W. Bush
7		O'Leary, Hazel R.Hazel R. O'Leary	Virginia	January 22, 1993	January 20, 1997	Democratic		Clinton, BillBill Clinton
8		Peña, Federico F.Federico F. Peña	Colorado	March 12, 1997	June 30, 1998	Democratic
9		Richardson, William B.William B. Richardson	New Mexico	August 18, 1998	January 20, 2001	Democratic
10		Abraham, SpencerSpencer Abraham	Michigan	January 20, 2001	February 1, 2005	Republican		Bush, George W.George W. Bush
11		Bodman, SamuelSamuel Bodman	Illinois	February 1, 2005	January 20, 2009	Republican
12		Chu, StevenSteven Chu	California	January 20, 2009	April 22, 2013	Democratic		Obama, BarackBarack Obama
13		Moniz, ErnestErnest Moniz	Massachusetts	May 21, 2013	January 20, 2017	Democratic
14		Perry, RickRick Perry	Texas	March 2, 2017	December 1, 2019	Republican		Trump, DonaldDonald Trump
15		Brouillette, DanDan Brouillette	Texas	December 3, 2019	Present