How much heat can a person safely endure? It depends. Much less visible and dramatic than hurricanes, floods and tornadoes, heat is considered the silent killer, affecting the lives and health of people across the country. An average of 702 heat-related deaths occur each year in the United States, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Certain groups of...

New plan to increase diversity and participation in STEM, inventorship, and innovation The Commerce Department’s U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently announced a new National Strategy for Inclusive Innovation to connect more Americans with resources to spur innovation and entrepreneurship. In conjunction with the agency’s work with the Council for Inclusive Innovation (CI 2 ), the...

Biden-Harris Administration expands agency efforts to ensure operations are increasingly resilient to climate change impacts Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce joined more than 20 federal agencies to release its updated Climate Adaptation Plan and expand the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to ensure federal operations are increasingly resilient to climate change impacts. The updated...

Juneteenth is not just a federal holiday but is an observance of the perseverance and determination of African Americans throughout our Nation’s history. Early in his Presidency, President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law commemorating June 19, 1865, when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas were informed of their emancipation. Juneteenth became the...

Earlier this month, the Department of Commerce Office of Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships, in partnership with Hispanic Access , hosted the National Latino Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C. This summit was a significant step towards empowering the Latino community and building their capacity to advocate for themselves, their families, and their community. Secretary Raimondo, Deputy...

Did you know U.S. veteran-owned businesses generate $1 trillion annually, employing 3.6 million people? As part of President Biden’s commitment to veterans, military families, and caregivers, the Commerce Department’s U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is at the forefront of providing intellectual property (IP) and entrepreneurship guidance to service members on active duty, military spouses...

Last week, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Deputy Secretary Don Graves provided opening remarks at the Minority Business Development Agency’s (MBDA) second annual AANHPI Business Summit . They reaffirmed the Biden Administration’s commitment to an equitable and prosperous future for Asian American (AA), Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (NHPI) workers, entrepreneurs, and businesses...

The Department of Commerce ranked in Top 5 in the 2023 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government Amongst Large Agencies for the 12th year in a row! The Partnership for Public Service and Boston Consulting Group joined the Washington Post to release rankings for the 2023 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government . It is our honor to announce that the Department of Commerce was ranked the...