Lewis Lichtenstein Strauss (pronounced /ˈstrɒz/ "straws") (b. January 31, 1896, Charleston, West Virginia – d. January 21, 1974, Brandy Station, Virginia) was a wealthy businessman who took on a leadership role in the wartime navy, rising to the rank of Rear Admiral, and later became a U.S. administrator. He was the chairman of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission between 1953 and 1958. He was Acting Secretary of Commerce between 1958 and 1959; then-President Eisenhower nominated him for the permanent position, but his nomination was narrowly rejected (by a 49-46 vote). Strauss is perhaps most remembered as the driving force in the hearings in which J. Robert Oppenheimer's security clearance was revoked. Strauss' failure to be confirmed as Secretary of Commerce was attributed to his role in the Oppenheimer matter, but numerous other controversies clearly played a role. In 1954, as chairman of the Atomic energy Commission, Strauss also predicted that electricity (generated from atomic energy) would become "too cheap to meter",[1] although he may have been referring to hydrogen fusion rather than uranium fission. [2]
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| Preceded by Gordon Dean |
Chairman of the United States Atomic Energy Commission 1953–1958 |
Succeeded by John A. McCone |
| Preceded by Sinclair Weeks |
United States Secretary of Commerce (acting) November 10, 1958 – August 7, 1959 |
Succeeded by Frederick Henry Mueller |
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| Secretaries of Commerce & Labor: Cortelyou • Metcalf • Straus • Nagel
Secretaries of Commerce: Redfield • Alexander • Hoover • Whiting • Lamont • Chapin • Roper • Hopkins • Jones • Wallace • Harriman • Sawyer • Weeks • Strauss • Mueller • Hodges • Connor • Trowbridge • Smith • Stans • Peterson • Dent • Morton • Richardson • Kreps • Klutznick • Baldrige • Verity • Mosbacher • Franklin • Brown • Kantor • Daley • Mineta • Evans • Gutierrez |
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