Commerce at a Glance: January 31, 2023

The Latest News

U.S. Department of Commerce Looks to Accelerate Equitable Services for Workforce and Underserved Communities

The U.S. Department of Commerce convened today the first Congress of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Councils to accelerate a shared mission to deliver equitable services to underserved communities and create a culture where employees can succeed and thrive.

Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than $33.5 Million in Internet for All Grants to 12 Minority-Serving Colleges and Universities

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced today it has awarded 12 grants as part of the Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program (CMC). Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves and Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information Alan Davidson announced the awards at Coppin State University (MD), one of the Connecting Minority Communities program’s awardees.

NIST Risk Management Framework Aims to Improve Trustworthiness of Artificial Intelligence

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has released its Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Framework (AI RMF 1.0), a guidance document for voluntary use by organizations designing, developing, deploying or using AI systems to help manage the many risks of AI technologies. The AI RMF follows a direction from Congress for NIST to develop the framework and was produced in close collaboration with the private and public sectors.

The U.S. Department of Commerce Announces Two Stakeholder Listening Sessions for the IPEF Special Negotiating Round

The U.S. Department of Commerce invites interested stakeholders to participate in a stakeholder listening session opportunity on February 1, 2023, in advance of the special negotiating round for Pillars II-IV of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) in New Delhi, India. In addition, the Government of India is organizing two in-person stakeholder events in New Delhi for the IPEF special negotiating round.

Secretary Raimondo Appoints Members of U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the appointments of 32 leaders from businesses and organizations in the domestic travel and tourism industry to the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board (TTAB). TTAB members advise the Secretary of Commerce on how government policies and programs affect the travel and tourism industry and offer counsel on current and emerging issues to support sustainable growth of the travel and tourism industry as our nation’s economic engine.

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Around Commerce

America’s First Responders Give NIST Their Communications Tech Wish Lists

An extensive research project conducted by experts at the National Institute of Standards and Technology reveals what our country’s police, fire, emergency medical and 911 dispatch responders think about the communications technology they use on a regular basis.

Journeys of Innovation: Making maternity wear fashionable

In 1939, Elsie Frankfurt and her sister Edna patented an adjustable skirt for pregnant women that soon became their new company’s most valuable asset. With the help of their younger sister, Louise, the three sisters became celebrities in their own right, and marketing the most fashion-forward maternity clothes Americans had ever seen.

Human Trafficking Prevention: Resources Your Business Needs to Know

As National Human Trafficking Prevention Month comes to a close, it’s crucial we remember that human trafficking is a global and domestic issue that harms the most marginalized and vulnerable members of society.

Bridging the Gap Between Equity and Environment

For more than 200 years, the 11th Street Bridge has connected Washington, D.C. with the historic neighborhood of Anacostia.Today, remnants of those earlier spans still stand as a reminder of the bridge’s long and storied history.

Commerce by the Numbers

Gross Domestic Product, Fourth Quarter 2022 and Year 2022 (Advance Estimate)
Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2022, after increasing 3.2 percent in the third quarter. The increase in the fourth quarter primarily reflected increases in inventory investment and consumer spending that were partly offset by a decrease in housing investment.

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Economic Census Will Survey More Than 4 Million Business Locations Starting This Week

Most people know that the U.S. Census Bureau measures the nation’s population once every 10 years. But fewer know that every five years, it conducts another important survey that measures the nation’s businesses to give us a comprehensive measure of U.S. economic activity across more than 21,000 geographic areas.

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Survey of Current Business Begins Rolling Schedule,
New Website

The Bureau of Economic Analysis' journal of record, the Survey of Current Business, is starting 2023 by publishing articles more quickly, with a new website that makes content easier to find. The Survey will publish individual articles, visual essays, statistical tables, and other content when they are ready, instead of holding them to publish together as a single online issue each month.

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In Case You Missed It

December, 2022

MBDA Capital Readiness Program Grant Competition

The Minority Business Development Agency is seeking proposals for its $93.5 million Capital Readiness Program grant competition to help minority and other underserved entrepreneurs launch and scale their businesses. This Program will provide funding to incubators, accelerators, and other eligible organizations across the country with expertise to support underserved entrepreneurs by providing training and other critical resources, tools, and technical assistance to access capital.

January 25, 2023

Nomination Period Is Now Open for the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee

NOAA Fisheries is seeking nominations to fill vacancies on the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee. The Committee advises the Secretary of Commerce on all living marine resource matters that are the responsibility of the Department of Commerce.

January 10, 2023

Cultivating the Next Generation of Minority Innovators

Last fall, 20 students of color from four minority-serving institutions gathered across the country to create digital products that can help communities become more resilient to climate change and support children’s mental health in Puerto Rico.

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