Under Secretary of State
The Under Secretary of State from 1919 to 1972 was the second- highest official in the State Department of the United States ( State Department), and thus the first deputy foreign minister. Each incumbent was responsible tasks in the management of the Ministry. Previously the Chief Clerk, the Assistant Secretary of State and most recently since 1913, the Counselor of the Department of State held this position. In 1972, the new Office of the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs ( Deputy Secretary of State ) was created; under this now take six Under Secretaries of State with different fields of the one third highest rank in the hierarchy of the Ministry.
List of incumbents from 1919 to 1972
Importance of the office since 1972
The position of Under Secretary of State has been redefined in the course of the reorganization of the State Department in 1972. Previously it had temporarily been an Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs; these items have now been set up permanently. There was also a Under Secretary of State for International Security Affairs. Over the years, three other officers were appointed: the Under Secretary of State for Management ( 1978), the Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs ( 1994) and the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (1999). After some items underwent a name change, there are now the following six Under Secretaries:
- Political Affairs William Joseph Burns
- Management Patrick F. Kennedy
- Economic, Business, and Agricultural Affairs Robert Hormats
- Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Judith McHale
- Arms Control and International Security Affairs: Ellen Tauscher
- Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero
The Under Secretaries are now superior to the Assistant Secretaries. Using them on a level in the hierarchy of the foreign ministry is the Counselor, the immediate adviser to the foreign minister. This position since January of 2009, Cheryl Mills.