The Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs is the head of the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs

Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs

In the United States Government, the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs is a part of the U.S. Department of State, charged with implementing U.S. foreign policy and promoting U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere, as well as advising the Under Secretary for Political Affairs...

 within the United States Department of State

United States Department of State

The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...

, the foreign affairs department of the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 federal government. The Assistant Secretary of State guides operation of the U.S. diplomatic establishment in the countries of the Western Hemisphere

Western Hemisphere

The Western Hemisphere or western hemisphere is mainly used as a geographical term for the half of the Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian and east of the Antimeridian , the other half being called the Eastern Hemisphere.In this sense, the western hemisphere consists of the western portions...

 and advises the Secretary of State

United States Secretary of State

The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...

 and the Under Secretary for Political Affairs

Under Secretary for Political Affairs

The Under Secretary for Political Affairs is the third ranking position in the United States Department of State, after the Secretary and the Deputy Secretaries...

. The current Assistant Secretary is Arturo Valenzuela, who was nominated by President

President of the United States

The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

 Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

 on May 12, 2009, and confirmed by the United States Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

 on November 10, 2009.

The Department of State created the position of Assistant Secretary of State for American Republic Affairs during the general reorganization of December 20, 1944, after Congress

United States Congress

The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

 had authorized an increase in the number of Assistant Secretaries of State from four to six. This reorganization was the first to assign substantive designations to specific Assistant Secretary positions. The position was temporarily discontinued between June 1947 and June 1949, when American Republic Affairs were handled by an Assistant Secretary for Political Affairs.

The Department re-established the position in June 1949 after the Commission on Organization of the Executive Branch of Government recommended that certain offices be upgraded to bureau level and after Congress increased the number of Assistant Secretaries of State from six to ten. On October 3, 1949, the Department by administrative action changed the incumbent's designation to Assistant Secretary for Inter-American Affairs. The Department of State had first established a Division of Latin American Affairs in 1909.

List of Assistant Secretaries of State for American Republic Affairs, 1944—1949

Name	Assumed Office	Left Office	President President of the United States The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....  served under
Nelson Rockefeller Nelson Rockefeller Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States , serving under President Gerald Ford, and the 49th Governor of New York , as well as serving the Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower administrations in a variety of positions...	December 20, 1944	August 17, 1945	Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
Spruille Braden Spruille Braden Spruille Braden was an American diplomat, businessman, lobbyist, and member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He served as the ambassador of various Latin American countries, and as Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs...	October 29, 1945	June 27, 1947	Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...

List of Assistant Secretaries of State for Inter-American Affairs, 1949—2000

Name	Assumed Office	Left Office	President President of the United States The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....  served under
Edward G. Miller, Jr. Edward G. Miller, Jr. Edward G. Miller, Jr. was a United States lawyer who served as Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs from 1949 to 1952.-Biography:...	June 28, 1949	December 31, 1952	Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
John M. Cabot	March 3, 1953	March 1, 1954	Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
Henry F. Holland Henry F. Holland Henry Finch Holland was a United States lawyer who served as Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs from 1954 to 1956.-Biography:...	March 2, 1954	September 13, 1956	Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
Roy R. Rubottom, Jr. Roy R. Rubottom, Jr. Roy Richard "Dick" Rubottom, Jr. was a United States diplomat most notable for being Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs from 1957 to 1960, a post in which he played a major role in engineering the United States' response to the Cuban Revolution.-Early years, 1912—1947:Rubottom...	June 18, 1957	August 27, 1960	Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
Thomas C. Mann Thomas C. Mann Thomas C. Mann was a diplomat who specialized in Latin American affairs while employed by the U.S. Department of State from 1942-1966. During the first administration of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower he served in a variety of posts, including two years as Ambassador to El Salvador...	August 28, 1960	April 20, 1961	Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
Robert F. Woodward Robert F. Woodward Robert Forbes Woodward was a United States diplomat who focused on U.S. relations with Latin America.-Biography:Robert F. Woodward was born in Minneapolis on October 1, 1908. He was educated at the University of Minnesota, receiving a B.A. in 1930.Woodward joined the United States Foreign Service...	July 17, 1961	March 17, 1962	John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
Edwin M. Martin Edwin M. Martin Edwin McCammon Martin was an official in the United States Department of State and a United States diplomat.-Biography:Edwin M. Martin was born in Dayton, Ohio, on May 21, 1908. He was educated at Northwestern University, receiving a B.A. in 1929...	May 18, 1962	January 2, 1964	John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....  and Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
Thomas C. Mann Thomas C. Mann Thomas C. Mann was a diplomat who specialized in Latin American affairs while employed by the U.S. Department of State from 1942-1966. During the first administration of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower he served in a variety of posts, including two years as Ambassador to El Salvador...	January 3, 1964	March 17, 1965	Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
Jack Hood Vaughn	March 22, 1965	February 28, 1966	Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
Lincoln Gordon Lincoln Gordon Abraham Lincoln Gordon was a United States Ambassador to Brazil and the 9th President of the Johns Hopkins University . Gordon had a career both in government and in academia, becoming a Professor of International Economic Relations at Harvard University in the 1950s, before turning his attention...	March 9, 1966	June 30, 1967	Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
Covey T. Oliver Covey T. Oliver -Biography:Covey T. Oliver was born in Laredo, Texas on April 21, 1913. His father, Pheneas Covey, was a rancher, and his mother, Jane Thomas Covey, was a school teacher. Covey T. Oliver was educated at the University of Texas, graduating in 1933. He then attended the University of Texas School...	July 1, 1967	December 31, 1968	Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
Charles A. Meyer Charles A. Meyer Charles Appleton Meyer was a United States executive who served as Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs from 1969 to 1973.-Biography:...	April 2, 1969	March 2, 1973	Richard Nixon Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
Jack B. Kubisch Jack B. Kubisch -Biography:Jack B. Kubisch was born in Hannibal, Missouri on November 5, 1921. He was educated at Central Methodist University and then the University of Missouri, from which he received an A.B. in 1942. Kubisch enlisted in the United States Navy while he was at college, and upon graduation was...	May 29, 1973	September 4, 1974	Richard Nixon Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
William D. Rogers William D. Rogers William Dill Rogers was an American lawyer. He served as U.S...	October 7, 1974	June 18, 1976	Gerald Ford Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
Harry W. Shlaudeman Harry W. Shlaudeman -Biography:Harry W. Shlaudeman was born in Los Angeles on May 17, 1926. During World War II, he served in the United States Marine Corps from 1944 to 1946. After the war, he attended Stanford University, receiving his B.A. in 1952....	July 22, 1976	March 14, 1977	Gerald Ford Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
Terence Todman Terence Todman Terrance Alphonso Todman , is an American diplomat who served as the United States Ambassador to Chad, Guinea, Costa Rica, Spain, Denmark and Argentina. In 1990, he was awarded the rank of Career Ambassador....	April 1, 1977	June 27, 1978	Jimmy Carter Jimmy Carter James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
Viron P. Vaky Viron P. Vaky Viron Peter Vaky is a diplomat and former United States Ambassador to Costa Rica , Colombia , and Venezuela...	July 21, 1978	November 30, 1979	Jimmy Carter Jimmy Carter James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
William G. Bowdler William G. Bowdler -Biography:William G. Bowdler was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on March 27, 1924. He later immigrated to Florida, and served in the United States Army from 1944 to 1946. He became a U.S. citizen in 1945. He was educated at the University of Richmond, receiving a B.A. in History in 1948. He...	January 4, 1980	January 16, 1981	Jimmy Carter Jimmy Carter James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
Thomas O. Enders Thomas O. Enders -Biography:Thomas O. Enders was born on November 28, 1931 in Hartford, Connecticut. He was educated at Yale University where he was a member of the Scroll and Key society, receiving a B.A. in 1953; at the University of Paris, receiving an M.A. in 1955; and Harvard University, receiving an M.A...	June 23, 1981	June 27, 1983	Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
Langhorne A. Motley Langhorne A. Motley Langhorne Anthony Motley is a former United States Ambassador to Brazil and Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs . He is a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy and Council on Foreign Relations. Ambassador Motley has a wife and two children...	July 12, 1983	July 3, 1985	Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
Elliott Abrams Elliott Abrams Elliott Abrams is an American attorney and neoconservative policy analyst who served in foreign policy positions for two Republican U.S. Presidents, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. While serving for Reagan and in the State Department, Abrams, Paul Wolfowitz, and retired U.S. Marine Corps officer...	July 17, 1985	January 20, 1989	Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
Bernard W. Aronson Bernard W. Aronson Bernard William Aronson was United States Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs from 1989 to 1993.-Early life and education:...	June 16, 1989	July 2, 1993	George H. W. Bush George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
Alexander Watson Alexander Watson Alexander Fletcher Watson is a retired American ambassador and diplomat.Watson was born in Boston, Massachusetts. He attended Harvard University, earning a bachelor's degree in government in 1961, and joined the Foreign Service in 1962....	July 2, 1993	March 29, 1996	Bill Clinton Bill Clinton William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
Jeffrey Davidow Jeffrey Davidow Jeffrey Davidow is a career foreign service officer from the U.S. state of Virginia. Davidow has served as a member of the Senior Foreign Service, as well as having been the U.S. Ambassador to Zambia, Venezuela, and Mexico....	August 7, 1996		Bill Clinton Bill Clinton William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...

List of Assistant Secretaries of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, 2000—Present

Name	Assumed Office	Left Office	President President of the United States The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....  served under
Peter F. Romero Peter F. Romero Peter F. Romero previously served as the United States Ambassador to Ecuador and as Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and was appointed by President Bill Clinton in the Fall of 1993....	January 4, 2001	June 4, 2001	Bill Clinton Bill Clinton William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
Otto Reich Otto Reich Otto Juan Reich , a Cuban-American, is former senior official in the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush...	January 11, 2002	November 22, 2002	George W. Bush George W. Bush George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
Roger Noriega Roger Noriega Roger Francisco Noriega is currently a visiting fellow at the conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute. He has previously served as a U.S...	July 31, 2003	October 6, 2005	George W. Bush George W. Bush George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
Thomas A. Shannon, Jr. Thomas A. Shannon, Jr. Thomas A. Shannon, Jr. is an American diplomat. President Barack Obama nominated him as U.S. Ambassador to Brazil. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on December 24, 2009...	October 17, 2005	November 5, 2009	George W. Bush George W. Bush George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
Arturo Valenzuela	November 10, 2009	August 31, 2011	Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...