---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 7132"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "7132"
heading: "Principal officers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/7132"
units:
  - "Chapter 84 — Department of Energy"
  - "Subchapter II — Establishment of Department"
---

# §7132. Principal officers

- (a) **Deputy Secretary—** There shall be in the Department a Deputy [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3), who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall be compensated at the rate provided for level II of the Executive Schedule under [section 5313 of title 5](/usc/5/5313.md). The Deputy [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) shall act for and exercise the functions of the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) during the absence or disability of the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) or in the event the office of [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) becomes vacant. The [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) shall designate the order in which the Under [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) and other officials shall act for and perform the functions of the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) during the absence or disability of both the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) and Deputy [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) or in the event of vacancies in both of those offices.
- (b) **Under Secretary for Science—**
  - (1) There shall be in the Department an Under [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) for Science, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
  - (2) The Under [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) shall be compensated at the rate provided for level III of the Executive Schedule under [section 5314 of title 5](/usc/5/5314.md).
  - (3) The Under [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) for Science shall be appointed from among persons who—
    - (A) have extensive background in scientific or engineering fields; and
    - (B) are well qualified to manage the civilian research and development programs of the Department.
  - (4) The Under [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) for Science shall—
    - (A) serve as the Science and Technology Advisor to the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3);
    - (B) monitor the research and development programs of the Department in order to advise the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) with respect to any undesirable duplication or gaps in the programs;
    - (C) advise the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) with respect to the well-being and management of the multipurpose laboratories under the jurisdiction of the Department;
    - (D) advise the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) with respect to education and training activities required for effective short- and long-term basic and applied research activities of the Department;
    - (E) advise the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) with respect to grants and other forms of financial assistance required for effective short- and long-term basic and applied research activities of the Department;
    - (F) advise the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) with respect to long-term planning, coordination, and development of a strategic framework for Department research and development activities; and
    - (G) carry out such additional duties assigned to the Under [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) by the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) relating to basic and applied research, including supervision or support of research activities carried out by any of the Assistant [Secretaries](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) designated by [section 7133 of this title](/usc/42/7133.md), as the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) considers advantageous.
- (c) **Under Secretary for Nuclear Security—**
  - (1) There shall be in the Department an Under [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) for Nuclear Security, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Under [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) shall be compensated at the rate provided for at level III of the Executive Schedule under [section 5314 of title 5](/usc/5/5314.md).
  - (2) The Under [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) for Nuclear Security shall be appointed from among persons who—
    - (A) have extensive background in national security, organizational management, and appropriate technical fields; and
    - (B) are well qualified to manage the nuclear weapons, nonproliferation, and materials disposition programs of the National Nuclear Security Administration in a manner that advances and protects the national security of the United States.
  - (3) The Under [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) for Nuclear Security shall serve as the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1) for Nuclear Security under [section 2402 of title 50](/usc/50/2402.md). In carrying out the functions of the [Administrator](/usc/42/4005.md?p=1), the Under [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) shall be subject to the authority, direction, and control of the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3). Such authority, direction, and control may be delegated only to the Deputy [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) of Energy, without redelegation.
- (d) **Under Secretary—**
  - (1) There shall be in the Department an Under [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3), who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall perform such functions and duties as the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) shall prescribe, consistent with this section.
  - (2) The Under [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) shall be compensated at the rate provided for level III of the Executive Schedule under [section 5314 of title 5](/usc/5/5314.md).
- (e) **General Counsel—**
  - (1) There shall be in the Department a General Counsel, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall perform such functions and duties as the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) shall prescribe.
  - (2) The General Counsel shall be compensated at the rate provided for level IV of the Executive Schedule under [section 5315 of title 5](/usc/5/5315.md).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 95–91, title II, § 202, Aug. 4, 1977, 91 Stat. 569; Pub. L. 106–65, div. C, title XXXII, § 3202, Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 954; Pub. L. 109–58, title X, § 1006(a), (c)(1), Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 930, 931.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2005—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–58, § 1006(a), added subsec. (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which read as follows: “There shall be in the Department an Under Secretary and a General Counsel, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall perform such functions and duties as the Secretary shall prescribe. The Under Secretary shall bear primary responsibility for energy conservation. The Under Secretary shall be compensated at the rate provided for level III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, and the General Counsel shall be compensated at the rate provided for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5.”

Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 109–58, § 1006(c)(1), added subsecs. (d) and (e).

1999—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 106–65 added subsec. (c).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Term of Office of Person First Appointed as Under Secretary for Nuclear Security of the Department of Energy

Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [div. C, title XXXI, § 3151], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–464, provided that: Length of Term.—The term of office as Under Secretary for Nuclear Security of the Department of Energy of the person first appointed to that position shall be three years. Exclusive Reasons for Removal.—The exclusive reasons for removal from office as Under Secretary for Nuclear Security of the person described in subsection (a) shall be inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office. Position Described.—The position of Under Secretary for Nuclear Security of the Department of Energy referred to in this section is the position established by subsection (c) of section 202 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7132), as added by section 3202 of the National Nuclear Security Administration Act (title XXXII of Public Law 106–65; 113 Stat. 954).”

Substantially identical provisions were contained in Pub. L. 106–377, § 1(a)(2) [title III, § 313], Oct. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 1441, 1441A–81.