United States Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs

Robert D. Hormats
Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs (United States)
In office 2009 – present
President	Barack Obama
Preceded by	Reuben Jeffery III
Personal details
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	Tufts University The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy

Under Secretary for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs is an undersecretary position within the United States Department of State. The Under Secretary for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs serves as senior economic advisor at the State Department and advises the Secretary of State on international economic policy. The Under Secretary also leads the work of the Department on trade, agriculture, aviation, and bilateral trade relations with America's economic partners. The Bureau of Economic, Energy and Business Affairs (formerly the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs) is the only bureau under the Under Secretary. The current Under Secretary is Robert Hormats, who was sworn in on September 23, 2009.

An Act of Congress first authorized an Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs on August 1, 1946, for a 2-year period as the third-ranking officer in the Department. The position was not renewed, however, and between 1947 and 1958 the ranking officer in the Department handling foreign economic matters was either a Deputy Under Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of State. On June 30, 1958, Congress re-established the position of Under Secretary for Economic Affairs in the Mutual Security Act. The following year, the Department of State Organization Act of July 30, 1959, authorized the President to appoint either an Under Secretary for Political Affairs or an Under Secretary for Economic Affairs.

Between 1959 and 1972, during periods when there was no Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, the ranking officer for foreign economic affairs was again either a Deputy Under Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of State. On July 13, 1972, Congress established separate and permanent positions at the Under Secretary of State level for Economic Affairs and for Political Affairs, in the Foreign Relations Authorization Act. On August 16, 1985, Congress changed the title to include Agricultural Affairs. The Under Secretary for Economic and Agricultural Affairs serves as the principal adviser to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary (previously Under Secretary) on matters relating to foreign economic and commercial policy. Specified duties, responsibilities, and assignments have varied over time. Each incumbent is commissioned with a functional designation as part of his title. On May 12, 1994, the title was changed to Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs.

List of Under Secretaries of State for Economic Affairs, 1946—1985

Name	Assumed Office	Left Office	President served under
William L. Clayton	August 3, 1946	October 15, 1947	Harry S. Truman
C. Douglas Dillon	July 1, 1958	June 11, 1959	Dwight D. Eisenhower
George W. Ball	February 1, 1961	December 3, 1961	John F. Kennedy
Thomas C. Mann	March 18, 1965	May 31, 1966	Lyndon B. Johnson
William J. Casey	February 2, 1973	March 14, 1974	Richard Nixon
Charles W. Robinson	January 3, 1975	April 9, 1976	Gerald Ford
William D. Rogers	June 18, 1976	December 31, 1976	Gerald Ford
Richard N. Cooper	April 8, 1977	January 19, 1981	Jimmy Carter
Myer Rashish	June 29, 1981	January 20, 1982	Ronald Reagan
W. Allen Wallis	September 23, 1982	January 20, 1989	Ronald Reagan

List of Under Secretaries of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs, 1985—1994

The office of Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs was renamed the Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs on August 16, 1985.

Name	Assumed Office	Left Office	President served under
W. Allen Wallis	September 23, 1982	January 20, 1989	Ronald Reagan
Richard T. McCormack	April 14, 1989	May 3, 1991	George H. W. Bush
Robert Zoellick	May 20, 1991	August 23, 1992	George H. W. Bush
Joan E. Spero	April 1, 1993	February 24, 1997	Bill Clinton

List of Under Secretaries of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs, 1994—Present

The office of Under Secretary of State for Economic and Agricultural Affairs was renamed the Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs on May 12, 1994.

Name	Assumed Office	Left Office	President served under
Joan E. Spero	April 1, 1993	February 24, 1997	Bill Clinton
Stuart E. Eizenstat	June 6, 1997	July 16, 1999	Bill Clinton
Alan P. Larson	November 24, 1999	February 25, 2005	Bill Clinton and George W. Bush
Josette Sheeran	August 23, 2005	April 4, 2007	George W. Bush
Reuben Jeffery III	June 27, 2007	January 20, 2009	George W. Bush
Robert Hormats	September 23, 2009		Barack Obama

External links

• The government website of the Under Secretary for Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs
• The Office of the Historian's history of the position, and list of former Under Secretaries