---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 1503b"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "1503b"
heading: "Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere; duties; appointment; compensation"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/1503b"
units:
  - "Chapter 40 — Department of Commerce"
---

# §1503b. Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere; duties; appointment; compensation


There shall be in the Department of Commerce an Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere who shall serve as the [Administrator](/usc/15/636e.md?p=1) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric [Administration](/usc/15/636e.md?p=1) established by Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970 [5 U.S.C. App.] and perform such duties as the Secretary of Commerce shall prescribe. The Under Secretary shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and shall be compensated at the rate now or hereafter provided for Level III of the Executive Schedule Pay Rates ([5 U.S.C. 5314](/usc/5/5314.md)).


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 99–659, title IV, § 407(a), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3739.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970, referred to in text, is set out under section 1511 of this title.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Service by Incumbent Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Pub. L. 99–659, title IV, § 407(c), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3739, provided that: “The individual serving on the date of enactment of this Act [Nov. 14, 1986]— as the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall also serve as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere until such time as a successor is appointed under subsection (a) of this section [enacting this section]; and as the Deputy Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shall also serve as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere until such time as a successor is appointed under subsection (b) of this section [enacting section 1507(c) of this title].”