Treasurer of the United States

Responsibilities

By law, the treasurer is the depositary officer of the United States with regard to deposits of gold, special drawing rights, and financial gifts to the Library of Congress. The treasurer also directly oversees the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) and the United States Mint, which respectively print and mint U.S. currency and coinage. In connection to the influence of federal monetary policy on currency and coinage production, the treasurer liaises on a regular basis with the Federal Reserve.

The duty perhaps most widely associated with the treasurer of the United States is affixing a facsimile signature to all Federal Reserve Notes. Federal law requires both the treasurer's signature and the treasury secretary's countersignature for Federal Reserve notes to be considered legal tender.

Moreover, the treasurer serves as a senior advisor and representative of the Treasury Department on behalf of the secretary in the areas of community development and public engagement.

History

Creation

On July 29, 1775, long before the Department of the Treasury ever existed, the Second Continental Congress established the Treasury Office to manage revolutionary wartime finances. Congress chose George Clymer and Michael Hillegas as joint treasurers of the United Colonies. On August 6, 1776, however, Clymer resigned from his post, thus making Hillegas the sole incumbent. The position received its current name on May 14, 1777, while Hillegas was still in office.

Change in functions over the years

The post of U.S. treasurer predates the United States Constitution. The treasurer was originally charged with the receipt and custody of all government funds independent of the treasury secretary, not unlike today's elected state treasurers. Beginning in 1939, the Office of the Treasurer and its cash management activities were brought under the direction of a broader Fiscal Service, one that also coordinated governmentwide accounting and debt management. Later in 1974, the cash management function in its entirety was transferred from the treasurer to what is now known as the Bureau of the Fiscal Service as a cost-saving measure. Responsibility for oversight of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) and the United States Mint was later assigned to the treasurer in 1981.

More recently, the requirement of the United States Senate confirmation for the appointment was dropped in August 2012.

Since the appointment of Georgia Neese Clark Gray in 1949, the non-continuous total length of time the office has been vacant is more than 4,750 days, or thirteen years, while in the 170+ years prior to that, such time totaled less than a year.

Female officeholders

Between 1949 and 2025, 17 women held the position of the office of treasurer. Georgia Neese Clark Gray became treasurer on June 21, 1949, making her the first woman to hold the office. Until Trump's appointment of Brandon Beach to the position in 2025, all subsequent treasurers were women, Marilynn Malerba, of the Mohegan, became the first Native American treasurer in 2022.

List of treasurers

The following persons served as treasurers of the United States:

References

References

1. Treasurer, The Global. (March 28, 2025). "Trump Appoints Brandon Beach as US Treasurer".
2. {{USC2. 12. 467. Deposits of gold coin, gold certificates, and Special Drawing Right certificates with United States Treasurer
3. {{USC2. 2. 157. Funds of Library of Congress Trust Fund Board; management of
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5. Rappeport, Alan. (December 8, 2022). "Yellen Is First Female Treasury Secretary With Signature on U.S. Dollar". The New York Times.
6. (2024-12-23). "Treasurers of the United States".
7. Bureau of the Fiscal Service. "Our History". U.S. Department of the Treasury.
8. (August 15, 2016). "Records of the Treasurer of the United States". National Archives.
9. "Duties and Functions FAQs". U.S. Department of the Treasury.
10. (August 10, 2012). "Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011". [[GovInfo]].
11. Cruz, Lenika. (August 13, 2014). "Why Have All the U.S. Treasurers Since 1949 Been Women?".
12. Hocking, Bree. (February 15, 2005). "Latina Treasurer Trend Creates a Mystery in D.C.".
13. (September 12, 2022). "Malerba sworn in as 1st Native American in US Treasurer post".
14. Nicholson, Jonathan. (2022-06-21). "Biden Names Mohegan Tribe Member To Be First Native American U.S. Treasurer".
15. "Treasurers of the United States". U.S. Department of the Treasury.
16. "History of the Treasury". U.S. Department of the Treasury.
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18. (August 16, 2001). "ROSARIO MARIN SWORN IN AS 41st U.S. TREASURER". U.S. Department of the Treasury.
19. (May 22, 2003). "Treasury Department Announces Marin's Plan to Leave Treasury". U.S. Department of the Treasury.
20. (January 19, 2005). "Anna Escobedo Cabral Sworn in as U.S. Treasurer". U.S. Department of the Treasury.
21. (July 28, 2009). "Rosa Gumataotao Rios Confirmed as Treasurer of the United States". U.S. Department of the Treasury.
22. Gilkes, Paul. (July 6, 2016). "Rosie Rios steps down as United States Treasurer". [[Coin World]].
23. Gilkes, Paul. (May 1, 2017). "Trump names Jovita Carranza 44th U.S. treasurer". [[Coin World]].
24. Choi, Matthew. (April 4, 2019). "Trump names Jovita Carranza, U.S. treasurer, to head SBA". [[Politico]].
25. (June 21, 2022). "Treasury Applauds Appointment of Chief Lynn Malerba as Treasurer of the United States". U.S. Department of the Treasury.
26. Roman, Jeniece. (November 20, 2024). "Mohegan Tribe Chief Malerba steps down as U.S. Treasurer after historic term". [[WSHU-FM]].
27. Friedberg, Arthur. (March 6, 2025). "Director Does Double Duty". Greysheet.
28. Cone, Allen. (March 27, 2025). "Georgia State Sen. Brandon Beach named U.S. treasurer". [[United Press International]].