Department of Commerce, U.S.

The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) is the major department managing the federal government’s domestic and international trade policies. Created in 1903 as the Department of Commerce and Labor, it has gone through numerous changes in activities as the U.S. economy has changed over the last 100 years. In 1913, a separate Department of Labor was created. In 1925 the Patent Office was transferred from the DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR to the DOC. The Bureau of Mines has been moved in and out of the Commerce Department. The Radio Division was created in 1927 and then abolished in 1932. At various times the DOC has included bureaus of lighthouses, air commerce, weather, and marine inspection.
In 2003 the major organizations within the Commerce Department include the following: • Bureau of Industry and Security
• Economics and Statistics Administration
• Bureau of Economic Analysis
• Bureau of the Census
• Economic Development Administration
• International Trade Administration
• Minority Business Development Agency
• National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration
• National Telecommunications & Information Administration
• Patent and Trademark Office
• Technology Administration
• National Institute of Standards and Technology
• National Technical Information Service.
The most widely known parts of the Commerce Department are probably the Bureau of the Census, the Patent and Trademark Office, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Census Bureau is charged with managing the U.S. population census, which is used to determine political representation and allocation of funds for many federal programs. The Patent and Trademark Office oversees patent and trademark applications in the United States. NOAA is widely known for its hurricane advisory service but also manages a variety of science, fisheries, and ocean management programs. Most of the other bureaus and agencies within the Commerce Department manage federal functions explained by their titles. The International Trade Administration promotes exports of U.S. products, the Economic Development Administration stimulates economic growth in distressed communities, and the Minority Business Development Agency promotes growth and competitiveness of minority-owned businesses.