The Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs is a position within the American Department of State that, according to the Department website, "coordinates U.S. foreign relations on a variety of global issues, including democracy, human rights, and labor; environment, oceans, and science; population, refugees, and migration; women's issues; and trafficking in persons." The office is currently held by Maria Otero

Maria Otero

María Otero was sworn in as United States Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs on August 10, 2009. She oversees and coordinates U.S. foreign policy on a variety of global issues, including democracy, human rights, and labor; environment, oceans, health and science, population,...

. Previous Under Secretaries are Timothy Wirth, Frank E. Loy

Frank E. Loy

Frank E. Loy is an American diplomat, business and nonprofit executive, and attorney. He is best known for serving as United States Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs from November 2, 1998 to January 20, 2001, under President Bill Clinton...

., and Paula Dobriansky

Paula Dobriansky

Paula Jon Dobriansky is an American foreign policy expert who has served in key roles as a diplomat and policy maker in the administrations of five U.S. presidents, both Democrat and Republican. She is a specialist in the areas of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union as well as...

.

The State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 states the Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs has the responsibility to coordinate with the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs

Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs

The Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs is a position within the U.S. Department of State that is intended to help ensure that public diplomacy is practiced in combination with public affairs and traditional diplomacy to advance U.S. interests and security...

 and other offices from regional bureaus to promote democracy in nondemocratic countries. The Under Secretary also advises the Secretary of the Department of State of the effects on human rights and democracy on a foreign country on any recommendation requested by another official, or any agency program. The position was created when Section 161(b) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 authorized the appointment of a fifth Under Secretary of State.

List of Under Secretaries of State for Democracy and Global Affairs, 1994—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
Tim Wirth Tim Wirth Timothy Endicott Wirth is a former United States Senator from Colorado. Wirth, a Democrat, was a member of the House from 1975 to 1987 and was elected to the Senate in 1986, serving one term there before stepping down. He was Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs during the Clinton...	May 12, 1994	December 23, 1997	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...
Frank E. Loy Frank E. Loy Frank E. Loy is an American diplomat, business and nonprofit executive, and attorney. He is best known for serving as United States Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs from November 2, 1998 to January 20, 2001, under President Bill Clinton...	October 26, 1998	January 20, 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...
Paula Dobriansky Paula Dobriansky Paula Jon Dobriansky is an American foreign policy expert who has served in key roles as a diplomat and policy maker in the administrations of five U.S. presidents, both Democrat and Republican. She is a specialist in the areas of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union as well as...	May 1, 2001	January 20, 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....
Maria Otero Maria Otero María Otero was sworn in as United States Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs on August 10, 2009. She oversees and coordinates U.S. foreign policy on a variety of global issues, including democracy, human rights, and labor; environment, oceans, health and science, population,...	August 10, 2009		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...