, ▁the ▁DO E ▁used ▁the ▁term ▁' fre edom ▁gas ' ▁to ▁refer ▁to ▁natural ▁gas . ▁The ▁phrase ▁origin ated ▁from ▁a ▁speech ▁made ▁by ▁Secretary ▁Rick ▁Perry ▁in ▁Br uss els ▁earlier ▁that ▁month . ▁Washington ▁Governor ▁Jay ▁Ins lee ▁de cri ed ▁the ▁term ▁" a ▁jo ke ". ▁ ▁Organ ization ▁ ▁Str ucture ▁and ▁positions ▁ ▁Energy ▁ ▁The ▁department ▁is ▁under ▁the ▁control ▁and ▁super vision ▁of ▁a ▁United ▁States ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Energy , ▁a ▁political ▁app o inte e ▁of ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁Energy ▁Secretary ▁is ▁assist ed ▁in ▁man aging ▁the ▁department ▁by ▁a ▁United ▁States ▁Deput y ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Energy , ▁also ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁president , ▁who ▁assumes ▁the ▁duties ▁of ▁the ▁secretary ▁in ▁his ▁absence . ▁The ▁department ▁also ▁has ▁three ▁under ▁secret aries , ▁each ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁president , ▁who ▁over see ▁the ▁major ▁areas ▁of ▁the ▁department ' s ▁work . ▁The ▁president ▁also ▁appoint s ▁seven ▁officials ▁with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁Ass istant ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Energy ▁who ▁have ▁line ▁management ▁responsibility ▁for ▁major ▁organiz ational ▁elements ▁of ▁the ▁Department . ▁The ▁Energy ▁Secretary ▁assign s ▁their ▁functions ▁and ▁duties . ▁ ▁Symbol ism ▁in ▁the ▁se al ▁ ▁Ex cer pt ▁from ▁the ▁Code ▁of ▁Federal ▁Reg ulations , ▁in ▁Title ▁ 1 0 : ▁Energy : ▁ ▁The ▁official ▁se al ▁of ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁energy ▁" includes ▁a ▁green ▁shield ▁bis ected ▁by ▁a ▁gold - color ed ▁light ning