---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 5812"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "5812"
heading: "Officers of Administration"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/5812"
units:
  - "Chapter 73 — Development of Energy Sources"
  - "Subchapter I — Energy Research and Development Administration"
---

# §5812. Officers of Administration

- (a) **Administrator; appointment—** There shall be at the head of the Administration an [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) of Energy Research and Development (hereinafter in this chapter referred to as the “[Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1)”), who shall be appointed from civilian life by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. A person may not be appointed as [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) within two years after release from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular component of an Armed Force. The Administration shall be administered under the supervision and direction of the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1), who shall be responsible for the efficient and coordinated management of the Administration.
- (b) **Deputy Administrator—** There shall be in the Administration a Deputy [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1), who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
- (c) **Qualifications of Administrator and Deputy Administrator—** The President shall appoint the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) and Deputy [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) from among individuals who, by reason of their general background and experience are specially qualified to manage a full range of energy research and development programs.
- (d) **Assistant Administrators; number; appointment; qualifications—** There shall be in the Administration six Assistant [Administrators](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1), one of whom shall be responsible for fossil energy, another for nuclear energy, another for environment and safety, another for conservation, another for solar, geothermal, and advanced energy systems, and another for national security. The Assistant [Administrators](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The President shall appoint each Assistant [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) from among individuals who, by reason of general background and experience, are specially qualified to manage the energy technology area assigned to such Assistant [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1).
- (e) **General Counsel—** There shall be in the Administration a General Counsel who shall be appointed by the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) and who shall serve at the pleasure of and be removable by the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1).
- (f) **Additional officers—** There shall be in the Administration not more than eight additional officers appointed by the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1). The positions of such officers shall be considered career positions and be subject to [section 2201(d) of this title](/usc/42/2201.md?p=d).
- (g) **Director of Military Application; functions; qualifications; compensation—** The Division of Military Application transferred to and established in the Administration by [section 5814(d) of this title](/usc/42/5814.md?p=d) shall be under the direction of a [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of Military Application, who shall be appointed by the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) and who shall serve at the pleasure of and be removable by the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) and shall be an active commissioned officer of the Armed Forces serving in general or flag officer rank or grade. The functions, qualifications, and compensation of the [Director](/usc/42/11851.md?p=5) of Military Application shall be the same as those provided under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended [[42 U.S.C. 2011](/usc/42/2011.md) et seq.], for the Assistant General Manager for Military Application.
- (h) **Allocation of functions; responsibility for international cooperation—** Officers appointed pursuant to this section shall perform such functions as the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) shall specify from time to time. The [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) shall delegate to one such officer the special responsibility for international cooperation in all energy and related environmental research and development.
- (i) **Order of succession—** The Deputy [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) (or in the absence or disability of the Deputy [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1), or in the event of a vacancy in the office of the Deputy [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1), an Assistant [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1), the General Counsel or such other official, determined according to such order as the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) shall prescribe) shall act for and perform the functions of the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) during any absence or disability of the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) or in the event of a vacancy in the office of the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 93–438, title I, § 102, Oct. 11, 1974, 88 Stat. 1234.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 93–438, Oct. 11, 1974, 88 Stat. 1233, known as the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 5801 of this title and Tables.

The Atomic Energy Act of 1954, referred to in subsec. (g), is act Aug. 1, 1946, ch. 724, as added by act Aug. 30, 1954, ch. 1073, § 1, 68 Stat. 919, which is classified principally to chapter 23 (§ 2011 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2011 of this title and Tables.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Transfer of Functions

Energy Research and Development Administration terminated and functions vested by law in Administrator thereof transferred to Secretary of Energy (unless otherwise specifically provided) by sections 7151(a) and 7293 of this title.

Division of Military Application transferred to Department of Energy by former section 7158(b) of this title with that organizational unit to be deemed an organizational unit established by chapter 84 (§ 7101 et seq.) of this title.