Americans who hit the trails to ski, bike or hike aren’t just working up a sweat; they’re also generating economic activity. Outdoor recreation accounted for 2.0 percent of the U.S. economy, or $373.7 billion, in 2016, according to prototype statistics for the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ newest special account. The outdoor recreation economy grew 3.8 percent in 2016, compared with the overall U.S...

I’m excited to present the U.S. Department of Commerce’s 2018–2022 Strategic Plan. It sets out the priorities I’ve established for the Department and informs the public about our important work. The Department of Commerce has one overarching purpose: Helping the American Economy Grow. American workers and businesses operate in a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive world. To address these...

Ed. note: This post is part of the Spotlight on Commerce series highlighting the contributions of Department of Commerce employees during Black History Month. Guest blog post by Robin D. Bush, LEED AP, Coordinator, Environmental & Strategic Analysis & Acting Area Director, U.S. Economic Development Administration I manage the environmental program and the investment strategies of the Chicago...

Ed. note: This post is part of the Spotlight on Commerce series highlighting the contributions of Department of Commerce employees during Black History Month. Guest blog post by Darmika Stanfield, Congressional Affairs Specialist, U.S. Economic Development Administration As a Congressional Affairs Specialist at the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), I work hard every day to do my part...

Ed. note: This post is part of the Spotlight on Commerce series highlighting the contributions of Department of Commerce employees during Black History Month. As the Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity (OEEOD) at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), I provide strategic direction and guidance in carrying out the Agency’s equal employment opportunity and...

By Marian Merritt, Lead for Industry Engagement, National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education, National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce When Khabran Peters, a former member of the Army National Guard was researching his training options to transition into the secure software development field, he discovered the Community Initiative Center of Excellence for...

Last month, the U.S. Department of Commerce was named the third best place to work in the federal government among large agencies in a survey released by the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit, non-partisan organization. Today, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration Lisa Casias accepted the award on the department’s behalf at the 2017 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government...

Funding for the federal government expired on January 19th. The Department is prepared for a lapse in funding that would necessitate a significant reduction in operations and is currently implementing our plan. Read the United States Department of Commerce Plan for Orderly Shutdown Due to Lapse of Congressional Appropriations (updated December 7, 2017). In compliance with the restrictions of the...