Department of Commerce

The U.S. Department of Commerce is the federal government’s main economic engine, working through 12 specialized bureaus to grow the economy, promote trade, support innovation, and manage critical data and technology. Its work touches everything from climate resilience and consumer prices to export opportunities and the protection of American ideas around the world.

For a broader look at the department’s role in the economy, see The Department of Commerce’s Role in the US Economy, and for a bureau-by-bureau overview, read The 12 U.S. Department of Commerce Bureaus – and What They Do.

Trade, National Security, and Global Markets

Commerce helps shape America’s place in global trade by encouraging exports, attracting foreign investment, and enforcing national security rules. Learn what the U.S. sells abroad in What America Exports to the World, how foreign capital can support jobs in How Foreign Investment Benefits the American Economy, and how sensitive deals are reviewed in How the Department of Commerce Reviews Foreign Investments for National Security Risks.

For export controls, see The Bureau of Industry and Security: America’s Technology Trade Gatekeeper, The Commerce Control List: A Guide to U.S. Export Controls, and The Denied Persons List: Who You Can’t Do Business With.