United States Secretary of State - Wikipedia United States Secretary of State Not to be confused with Secretary of state ( U.S. state government ). Secretary of State of the United States of America Seal of the Secretary of State Flag of the Secretary of State Incumbent Rex Tillerson since February 1, 2017 United States Department of State Style Mr. Secretary Member of Cabinet, National Security Council Reports to The President Seat Washington, D.C. Appointer The President with Senate advice and consent Term length Appointed Constituting instrument 22 U.S.C. § 2651 Precursor United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs Formation July 27, 1789 ; 228 years ago ( 1789 - 07 - 27 ) First holder John Jay ( acting ) Thomas Jefferson Succession Fourth Deputy John Sullivan Salary $205,700 annually ( Executive Schedule I ) Website www.state.gov/secretary/ The Secretary of State is a senior official of the federal government of the United States of America, and as head of the U.S. Department of State, is principally concerned with foreign policy and is considered to be the U.S. government 's equivalent of a Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Secretary of State is nominated by the President of the United States and, following a confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, is confirmed by the United States Senate. The Secretary of State, along with the Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Defense, and Attorney General, are generally regarded as the four most important Cabinet members because of the importance in their respective departments. Secretary of State is a Level I position in the Executive Schedule and thus earns the salary prescribed for that level ( currently $205,700 ). The current Secretary of State is former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, the 69th person to hold office since its creation in 1789. Contents 1 Duties and responsibilities 2 Line of succession 3 List of Secretaries of State 4 References 5 External links Duties and responsibilities The stated duties of the Secretary of State are as follows : `` Supervises the United States Foreign Service '' and `` administers the Department of State '' Advises the President on matters relating to U.S. foreign policy including the appointment of diplomatic representatives to other nations and on the acceptance, recall, or dismissal of representatives from other nations `` Negotiates, interprets, or terminates treaties and agreements '' and `` conducts negotiations relating to U.S. foreign affairs '' `` Personally participates in or directs U.S. representatives to international conferences, organizations, and agencies '' Provides information and services to U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad such as providing credentials in the form of passports `` Ensures the protection of the U.S. Government to American citizens, property, and interests in foreign countries '' `` Supervises the administration of the U.S. immigration policy abroad '' Communicates issues relating the U.S. foreign policy to Congress and to U.S. citizens `` Promotes beneficial economic intercourse between the U.S. and other countries '' The original duties of the Secretary of State include some domestic duties such as : Receipt, publication, distribution, and preservation of the laws of the United States Preparation, sealing, and recording of the commissions of Presidential appointees Preparation and authentication of copies of records and authentication of copies under the Department 's seal Custody of the Great Seal of the United States Custody of the records of former Secretary of the Continental Congress except for those of the Treasury and War departments Most of the domestic functions of the Department of State have been transferred to other agencies. Those that remain include storage and use of the Great Seal of the United States, performance of protocol functions for the White House, and the drafting of certain proclamations. The Secretary also negotiates with the individual States over the extradition of fugitives to foreign countries. Under Federal Law, the resignation of a President or of a Vice President is only valid if declared in writing, in an instrument delivered to the office of the Secretary of State. Accordingly, the resignations of President Nixon and of Vice-President Spiro Agnew, domestic issues, were formalized in instruments delivered to the Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger. As the highest - ranking member of the cabinet, the Secretary of State is the third - highest official of the executive branch of the Federal Government of the United States, after the President and Vice President and is fourth in line to succeed the Presidency, coming after the Vice President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the President pro tempore of the Senate. Six Secretaries of State have gone on to be elected President. Others, including John Kerry, William Seward, Henry Clay, William Jennings Bryan and Hillary Clinton have been unsuccessful presidential candidates, either before or after their term of office as Secretary of State. Former Secretaries of State retain the right to add the title `` Secretary '' to their surnames. As the head of the United States Foreign Service, the Secretary of State is responsible for management of the diplomatic service of the United States. The foreign service employs about 12,000 people domestically and internationally, and supports 265 United States diplomatic missions around the world, including ambassadors to various nations. The U.S. Secretary of State has the power to remove any foreign diplomat from U.S. soil for any reason. The nature of the position means that Secretaries of State engage in travel around the world. The record for most countries visited in a secretary 's tenure is 112 by Hillary Clinton. Second is Madeleine Albright with 96. The record for most air miles traveled in a secretary 's tenure is 1.380 million miles by John Kerry. Second is Condoleezza Rice 's 1.059 million miles, and third is Clinton 's 956,733 miles. When there is a vacancy in the office of Secretary of State, the duties are exercised either by another member of the cabinet, or, in more recent times, by a high - ranking official of the State Department until the President appoints, and the United States Senate confirms, a new Secretary. What are the Qualifications of a Secretary of State ? He ought to be a Man of universal Reading in Laws, Governments, History. Our whole terrestrial Universe ought to be summarily comprehended in his Mind. `` '' -- John Adams Line of succession The line of succession for the Secretary of State is as follows : Deputy Secretary of State Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Under Secretary of State for Management Remaining Under Secretaries of State ( following in the order they took the oath of office ) Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Assistant Secretaries of States for regional bureaus ( following in the order they took the oath of office ) Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Other Officers ( following in the order they took the oath of office ) Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Assistant Secretary of State for Administration Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration Legal Adviser of the Department of State Coordinator for International Information Programs Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs Assistant Secretary of State for Diplomatic Security Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance Director General of the Foreign Service Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Assistant Secretary of State for Conflict and Stabilization Operations Assistant Secretary of State for Political - Military Affairs Coordinator for Counterterrorism United States Ambassador to the United Nations ( New York ) Deputy United States Ambassador to the United Nations ( New York ) Remaining U.S. representatives to the United Nations ( New York ) ( following in the order they took the oath of office ) Alternative United States Representative to the United Nations for Special Political Affairs United States Representative to the United Nations for UN Management and Reform United States Representative on the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations The following Chiefs of Missions ( in the following order ) United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom United States Ambassador to Canada United States Ambassador to Australia United States Ambassador to Mexico United States Ambassador to Japan United States Ambassador to India Other officers ( following in the order they took the oath of office ) United States Ambassadors at Large Counselor of the United States Department of State Special Representatives of the President Remaining Chiefs of Missions ( following in the order they took the oath of office ) List of Secretaries of State Further information : List of Secretaries of State of the United States References Jump up ^ `` 3 U.S. Code § 19 - Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President ; officers eligible to act ''. Cornell Law School. Jump up ^ `` Pay & Leave : Salaries & Wages ''. Salary Table No. 2015 - EX. United States Office of Personnel Management. January 1, 2015. Retrieved January 4, 2016. ^ Jump up to : 5 U.S.C. § 5312. Jump up ^ `` Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers for Foreign Affairs '', Protocol and Liaison Service, United Nations. Retrieved November 2, 2012. Jump up ^ NATO Member Countries, NATO. Retrieved November 2, 2012. Jump up ^ Cabinets and Counselors : The President and the Executive Branch ( 1997 ). Congressional Quarterly. p. 87. Jump up ^ `` Duties of the Secretary of State ''. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2017 - 02 - 01. Jump up ^ `` Duties of the Secretary of State of the United States ''. www.state.gov. United States Department of State. January 20, 2009. Retrieved March 28, 2010. Jump up ^ `` 3 U.S. Code § 20 - Resignation or refusal of office ''. ^ Jump up to : Mark Landler ( January 4, 2013 ). `` Scare Adds to Fears That Clinton 's Work Has Taken Toll ''. The New York Times. Jump up ^ Lee, Matthew ( June 28, 2012 ). `` Frequent flier Hillary Clinton hits 100 - country mark ''. Detroit Free Press. Associated Press. Jump up ^ Associated Press ( April 6, 2016 ). `` Kerry breaks record for miles traveled by secretary of state ''. Fox News. Jump up ^ Ford, Worthington C., ed. ( 1927 ). Statesman and Friend : Correspondence of John Adams with Benjamin Waterhouse, 1784 -- 1822. Boston, MA : Little, Brown, and Company. p. 57. Jump up ^ `` Providing an Order of Succession Within the Department of State ''. Federal Register. 2002 - 01 - 11. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 30. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Secretaries of State of the United States. Official website The Department of State 's organization page The Department of State 's Office of the Historian Current U.S. order of precedence ( ceremonial ) Preceded by Ambassadors from the United States ( while at their posts ) Order of Precedence of the United States as Secretary of State Succeeded by Ambassadors to the United States ( in order of tenure ) Preceded by Otherwise Barack Obama as Former President Succeeded by Otherwise António Guterres as Secretary - General of the United Nations Current U.S. presidential line of succession Preceded by President pro tempore of the Senate Orrin Hatch 4th in line Succeeded by Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin United States Secretaries of State Secretary of Foreign Affairs 1781 -- 89 R. Livingston Jay Secretary of State 1789 -- present Jefferson Randolph Pickering J. Marshall Madison Smith Monroe Adams Clay Van Buren E. Livingston McLane Forsyth Webster Upshur Calhoun Buchanan Clayton Webster Everett Marcy Cass Black Seward Washburne Fish Evarts Blaine Frelinghuysen Bayard Blaine Foster Gresham Olney Sherman Day Hay Root Bacon Knox Bryan Lansing Colby Hughes Kellogg Stimson Hull Stettinius Byrnes G. Marshall Acheson Dulles Herter Rusk Rogers Kissinger Vance Muskie Haig Shultz Baker Eagleburger Christopher Albright Powell Rice ( tenure ) Clinton ( tenure ) Kerry ( tenure ) Tillerson Agencies under the United States Department of State Headquarters : Harry S Truman Building Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State John Sullivan, Deputy Secretary of State and Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Tom Shannon, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Deputy Secretary of State and Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Counselor of the Department Executive Secretariat Office of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources Operations Center Under Secretary for Political Affairs Bureau of African Affairs Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Bureau of International Organization Affairs Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs Bureau of Energy Resources Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Office of the Science and Technology Adviser Office of the Chief Economist Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation Bureau of Political - Military Affairs Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Bureau of Public Affairs Bureau of International Information Programs Department Spokesperson Office of the Historian Office of Policy, Planning, and Resources for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs United States Diplomacy Center Under Secretary for Management Bureau of Administration Bureau of Budget and Planning Bureau of Consular Affairs Bureau of Diplomatic Security Bureau of Human Resources Bureau of Information Resource Management Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations Diplomatic Reception Rooms Foreign Service Institute Office of Children 's Issues Office of eDiplomacy Office of Foreign Missions Office of Management Policy, Rightsizing, and Innovation Office of Medical Services Office of White House Liaison Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration Office of Global Criminal Justice Office of Global Youth Issues Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons Bureaus / Offices reporting directly to the Secretary Bureau of Intelligence and Research Bureau of Legislative Affairs Office of Civil Rights Office of Inspector General Office of the Legal Adviser Office of Policy Planning Staff Office of the Chief of Protocol Office of Global Food Security Office of Global Women 's Issues Office of the United States Global AIDS Coordinator Office of Global Partnerships Leaders of the United States federal executive departments Current Agriculture Commerce Defense Education Energy Health and Human Services Homeland Security Housing and Urban Development Interior Justice Labor State Transportation Treasury Veterans Affairs Past Commerce and Labor Health, Education, and Welfare Navy Post Office War Presidential line of succession in the United States of America Vice President ( Mike Pence ) Speaker of the House of Representatives ( Paul Ryan ) President pro tempore of the Senate ( Orrin Hatch ) Secretary of State ( Rex Tillerson ) Secretary of the Treasury ( Steven Mnuchin ) Secretary of Defense ( James Mattis ) Attorney General ( Jeff Sessions ) Secretary of the Interior ( Ryan Zinke ) Secretary of Agriculture ( Sonny Perdue ) Secretary of Commerce ( Wilbur Ross ) Secretary of Labor ( Alex Acosta ) Secretary of Health and Human Services ( Tom Price ) Secretary of Housing and Urban Development ( Ben Carson ) Secretary of Transportation ( Elaine Chao ) Secretary of Energy ( Rick Perry ) Secretary of Education ( Betsy DeVos ) Secretary of Veterans Affairs ( David Shulkin ) Secretary of Homeland Security Jump up ^ Although Elaine Chao is the current Secretary of Transportation, she is not a natural - born citizen ( acquired U.S. citizenship by naturalization ) and thus ineligible for the Presidency. 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Question: who answers directly to the speaker of the house
Answer: The Secretary of State is