Legal Definitions - Department of Commerce

The Department of Commerce (DOC) is a cabinet-level agency of the U.S. federal government. Its central role is to foster economic growth, create jobs, and improve living standards for all Americans. It achieves this by promoting international trade, encouraging innovation, gathering vital economic and demographic data, and ensuring fair business practices.

Here are some examples of how the Department of Commerce's work impacts various sectors:

• Imagine a small American company that manufactures specialized medical devices and wants to expand its sales into new markets like Southeast Asia. The Department of Commerce can assist this company by providing market intelligence, identifying potential international buyers, and helping them understand complex export regulations. This support directly aligns with the DOC's mission to promote U.S. international trade and help American businesses compete globally.

• When economists and policymakers need to understand the current state of the U.S. economy—such as unemployment rates, consumer spending habits, or manufacturing output—they often rely on comprehensive data collected and analyzed by agencies within the Department of Commerce, like the Bureau of Economic Analysis or the U.S. Census Bureau. This critical information helps guide decisions that aim to sustain and enhance national economic growth.

• Consider a research institution developing cutting-edge quantum computing technology. To ensure their innovations are reliable, interoperable, and secure, they might collaborate with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency under the Department of Commerce. NIST develops and promotes measurement standards and technologies, directly contributing to the nation's technical advancement and fostering a robust environment for scientific and technological innovation.