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About the Department of Commerce

Mission Statement

The mission of the Department is to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity.

As part of the Obama administration’s economic team, the Secretary of Commerce serves as the voice of U.S. business within the President’s Cabinet. The Department works with businesses, universities, communities, and the Nation’s workers to promote job creation, economic growth, sustainable development, and improved standards of living for Americans. Through its 12 bureaus and nearly 47,000 employees located in all 50 states and territories and more than 86 countries worldwide, the Department administers critical programs that touch the lives of every American. The Department’s workforce is as diverse as its mission. It is made of up economists, Nobel winning scientists, foreign service officers, patent attorneys, law enforcement officers, and specialists in everything from international trade to aerospace engineering.

The Department is comprised of 12 bureaus that work together to drive progress in four business-facing key goal areas:

  • Trade and Investment
  • Innovation
  • Environment
  • Data

The underlying strength of the Department is the ability for its bureaus to work together and leverage expertise in all of these goal areas to drive economic growth.  Read a summary of the plan or the entire plan.


More About Commerce's Organization

Open for Business Strategic Plan

Portals and Partners

Commerce History

Information About Commerce Websites