United States Commissioner of Patents

United States Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property
Incumbent Michelle K. Lee since March 13, 2015
Formation	January 17, 2001
First holder	Q. Todd Dickinson
Website	www.uspto.gov

The Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property, or USC(IP), is a high-ranking official in the United States Department of Commerce and the principal advisor to the United States Secretary of Commerce on the intellectual property matters. The Under Secretary is dual-hatted as the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office within the Commerce Department.

The Under Secretary is appointed by the President of the United States with the consent of the United States Senate to serve at the pleasure of the President. The position is currently held by Michelle K. Lee, who took office on March 13, 2015.

As the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Under Secretary is responsible for administering laws relevant to granting patents and trademarks, and for the day-to-day management of the agency's $1.7 billion budget and more than 8,000 employees. The Under Secretary is also obligated to conduct programs and studies regarding intellectual property, and to conduct cooperative programs with other foreign intellectual property offices.

With the rank of Under Secretary, the USC(IP) is a Level III position within the Executive Schedule. Since January 2010, the annual rate of pay for Level III is $165,300.

The position of Under Secretary and Director of the United States Patent Office was created by the Patent and Trademark Office Efficiency Act, which was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on November 29, 1999. It was effective made January 17, 2001 by Department of Commerce Department Organization Order (DOO) no. 10-14. The DOO abolished the position's predecessor, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks. The Act mandated the creation of the Deputy Under Secretary and Deputy Director, who assists the Under Secretary, as well as other aspects of the reorganization of the office as a federal agency.