United States Department of Commerce

About

The United States Department of Commerce (DOC) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government. It is responsible for gathering data for business and governmental decision making, establishing industrial standards, catalyzing economic development, promoting foreign direct investment, and safeguarding national economic security.

The Department of Commerce is one of four federal agencies authorized to appoint personnel in the United States Foreign Service, and its National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Commissioned Officer Corps—formerly the Coast and Geodetic Survey Corps—is one of the eight branches of the uniformed services of the United States. During a large-scale disaster or catastrophe, it assumes the coordinating responsibilities for the economic recovery support function under the National Disaster Recovery Framework. Since 2023, it has led U.S. government activities related to safe artificial intelligence development. From 1913 to 1939, it also managed the National Aquarium.