Mr. Raley was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and sworn in as the Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, Department of the Interior, on July 17, 2001 by The Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton. He is responsible for setting departmental policy and providing oversight to the Bureau of Reclamation and the Geological Survey.

From 1983 to 1991, Mr. Raley was an associate, and later a partner, with the law firm of Davis, Graham & Stubbs in Denver, Colorado. He then served as Staff Counsel to United States Senator Hank Brown (R.CO) during the 102^nd Congress. Upon his return to Colorado, he practiced law at Hobbs, Trout & Raley. He also served as Chief Counsel to the United States Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Federalism, and Property Rights for the first 100 days of the 104^th Congress, as a Special Assistant Attorney General for the State of New Mexico in federal court litigation, and as Co-Chair of the Federal Water Rights Task Force established pursuant to the 1996 Farm Bill.

Mr. Raley received his B.S. in Agricultural Business from Colorado State University and his J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law.