Research Guides: Federal Administrative Decisions and Resources: Commerce

Mission

The historic mission of the U.S. Department of Commerce is "to foster, promote, and develop the foreign and domestic commerce" of the United States. This has evolved, as a result of legislative and administrative additions, to encompass broadly the responsibility to foster, serve, and promote the Nation's economic development and technological advancement."

U.S. Department of Commerce

U.S. Department of Commerce Office of General Counsel
The General Counsel's immediate staff and the Executive Office provide legal and adminstrative support to the OGC legal offices.
Assistant General Counsel for Administration and Transactions (AGC/ADTRAX)
The AGC/Admin is the source of legal expertise in specific areas of administrative law, appropriations issues, civil rights, collective bargaining, employee benefits, ethics, fiscal law, labor relations, management, personnel, property and travel allowance.
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The Office of the Assistant General Counsel for Administration consists of the Assistant General Counsel, the Deputy Assistant General Counsel and three divisions:

Employment and Labor Law Division | Ethics Law and Programs Division | General Law Division
Assistant General Counsel for Employment, Litigation, and Information (AGC-ELI)
Responsible for ensuring that administrative, regulatory and statutory requirements are met in the Department’s commercial conduct, including debt collection, loan issuance, loan guarantees, audits of Departmental Financial Statements, provision of financial assistance, and Federal procurements.
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F&L consists of three divisions:

Contract Law | Federal Assistance Law | General Litigation
Assistant General Counsel for Legislation, Regulations, and Oversight (AGC-LRO)
This site includes a comprehensive compilation of all testimonies delivered by the Department of Commerce beginning with the 106th Congress, most legislative views letters to the Congress during this same period on topics of significance to the Department’s missions, and a compendium of the Department’s rules and regulations.
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The Regulations site also contains assorted other resources related to rules and the rulemaking process, such as rulemaking statutes, Executive Orders, guidance documents and other documents that will help one understand the rulemaking process.

Office of General Counsel Testimony before Congress
Department of Commerce Letters to Congress
Beginning with the 106th Congress.

Regulations (Arranged by Agencies)
Office of General Counsel Guidance
Adminstrative Procedure Act, Other Laws Affecting Rulemaking, Executive Orders, Regulatory Writing Resources, Finding Regulations and Statutes, Federal Agency Activity, and Federal Government Research Sites and Search Engines.

Trade Compliance Center
"The Trade Compliance Center, the TCC, in the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration, is the U.S. Government's focal point for monitoring foreign compliance with trade agreements to see that U.S. firms and workers get the maximum benefits from these agreements."
Trade and Related Agreements
Trade and Related Agreements between the U.S. and its trading partners.

Bureaus and Offices

Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)
National and international U.S. economic accounts. Includes fact sheets and interactive tables on the GDP, consumer spending, corporate profits and more.

Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)
Mission is to advance U.S. national security, foreign policy, and economic objectives by ensuring an effective export control and treaty compliance system and promoting continued U.S. strategic technology leadership.

U.S. Census Bureau
Mission is to serve as the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy. They honor privacy, protect confidentiality, share their expertise globally and conduct their work openly. They are guided on this mission by scientific objectivity, strong and capable workforce, devotion to research-based innovation and their abiding commitment to their customers.
American Community Survey
Premier source for detailed population and housing information about our nation.

Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Annual Reports
Beginning with 2007. Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms reports beginning with 2010.
Economic Development Directory
EDA and Disaster Recovery

Economic Indicators
Environmental Data (Commerce Dep't)
Includes National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data.

International Trade Administration
Charged with strengthening the competitiveness of U.S. industry, promoting trade and investment, and ensuring fair trade and compliance with trade laws and agreements.
Administrative Protective Orders
Court Cases, Remand Redeterminations, and Legislative History
U.S. Court of International Trade
The United States Court of International Trade, established under Article III of the Constitution, has nationwide jurisdiction over civil actions arising out of the customs and international trade laws of the United States.
U.S. Court of International Trade Slip Opinions (1999+)

Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
Established solely to create jobs through the growth and global competitiveness of minority-owned businesses in the United States. MBDA coordinates and leverages public- and private-sector resources to provide access to capital, contracts and markets.
MBDA Publications
Repository of publications and reports on programs, technologies and compiled statistical data useful to MBE's. Quick and easy links to the latest business data on racial and ethnic populations in the United States.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
NIST works to support U.S. industry and innovation. From cybersecurity to mammograms and advanced manufacturing, innumerable technologies, services and products rely upon NIST expertise, measurement and standards. NIST has a century-long tradition of partnering with business, universities and other government agencies to support the nation’s vast innovation ecosystem.
NIST Publications
NIST Data
NIST research generates data to work with industry, academic and government systems to advance innovation and improve the quality of life. A broad spectrum of science and technology data resources are available through a suite of services listed on these pages.

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
NOAA is America’s environmental intelligence agency, providing timely, reliable and actionable information – based on sound science – every day to millions of Americans. NOAA’s products and services are used by decision-makers around the country to better understand risk and prepare for the future.
National Marine Sanctuaries
National Ocean Service
National Weather Service
NOAA Climate
NOAA Fisheries
NOAA Research
Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
Administers the NOAA fleet of ships and aircraft, and trains divers to safely facilitate Earth observation

National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
Serves as the online locator service for a comprehensive library of scientific, technical, engineering and business-related information from the federal government.

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
NTIA Reports
Domain Name System
Institute for Telecommunications Sciences
Performs cutting-edge telecommunications research and engineering with both federal government and private sector partners.
Data Central
NTIA data and analysis on computer and Internet use in the United States.

U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
Overview of patent process, trademark basics, and patent and trademark databases.
Freedom of Information Act
Link to FOIA Regulations and other USPTO documents.
Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP)
Office of Enrollment & Discipline
Link to final decisions & rules.
Office of General Law
The OGL is responsible for representing the USPTO in matters other than those involving intellectual property issues. In this regard, the Deputy General Counsel's office provides advice and written legal opinions on areas concerning the administration and management of the USPTO.
Office of the General Counsel
Office of the Solicitor
The Office of the Solicitor serves as legal counsel to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on intellectual property law matters. The Solicitor’s Office also works in collaboration with the Department of Commerce on interagency intellectual property law matters.
Patent Searches
Search for full-text patents beginning with 1976. PDF patent images can be search via patent number or classification code beginning with 1790.
Patent Trial & Appeal Board
Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) conducts trials, including inter partes, post-grant, and covered business method patent reviews and derivation proceedings; hears appeals from adverse examiner decisions in patent applications and reexamination proceedings; and renders decisions in interferences.
Trademark Trial & Appeal Board
Link to TTAB Final decisions, policy/procedure, and rules/laws