The Biden-Harris Administration is dedicated to building a stronger and more resilient nation and equipping Americans with the resources they need to remain safe and secure. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act have provided more than $50 billion in climate resilience so that communities can better withstand the impacts of climate change and extreme weather. Our nation...

By: Kevin Gallagher, Senior Advisor to the Secretary In August, I had the pleasure of visiting Totelcom’s offices and training facilities in De Leon, Texas. Totelcom is a family-owned, rural telecom provider that serves De Leon—with a population of just over 2,000—and the surrounding communities. As we pulled up after the two-hour drive from Dallas, the company’s digital reader board displayed a...

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Deputy Secretary Don Graves hosted Latino elected officials, leaders, and stakeholder organizations to solicit their input on Commerce initiatives that will assist in promoting inclusive economic growth for Latino communities. Both events took place at the Commerce Department where both Raimondo and Graves addressed the...

Last week, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo participated in a roundtable discussion with National Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) nationwide and addressed the importance of equity, access to education, and a trained workforce. The event kicked off National Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) Week, a precursor to the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, and was hosted by the Hispanic Association...

By Joe Wassel, Executive Director and CEO, First Responder Network Authority September 11 irrevocably altered the lives of Americans. Today, on the anniversary, we solemnly reflect on that fateful day and its impact on our nation. Twenty-two years ago, at 9:37 a.m. American Airlines Flight 77 hit the Pentagon — a landmark moment for me. I was in the building as director of communications for the...

Dear Business Leaders, As Deputy Secretary of Commerce, I am writing to you and your members to underscore the importance of continuing our collective work toward advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). DEIA initiatives are not just cornerstones of corporate responsibility but are also critical for America's growth, innovation, and economic competitiveness. The Equal...

For the most part, high-income places 40 years ago remain high-income today, and low-income places 40 years ago are still relatively low-income. This blog post looks at how little change there has been in how places rank by income over the last several decades. There are a few exceptions, and those metros that have climbed the ranks might offer lessons for economic development strategies and place...

Pictured above: The 2023 Class of SEE Ambassadors. The Sustainability, Energy, and Environmental (SEE) Ambassadors program recognizes individual Departmental employees for their outstanding performance in implementing exceptional cost-saving projects and/or programs that help improve the Department’s sustainability, energy and water efficiency, climate change adaptation, resilience, and...