Department of Commerce

At a Glance

The Department of Commerce is home to the Census Bureau and the Patent and Trademark Office. It is also home to unneeded programs that subsidize businesses and fund local development projects. In addition, the department administers misguided foreign trade policies aimed at boosting exports and restricting imports.

The department will spend $14 billion in 2019, or $110 for every U.S. household. Commerce employs 44,000 workers, administers more than 80 subsidy programs, and has more than 250 offices worldwide.

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Explore a historical timeline of the U.S. Department of Commerce, from its 19th-century origins to today’s complex network of trade, technology, and economic agencies — charting major laws, reorganizations, and policy trends.

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Dept. of Commerce Static Graph — This chart was generated using our interactive charting tool, which visualizes data from the federal spending database released by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

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Business Subsidies

By Chris Edwards and Tad DeHaven

The mission of the Department of Commerce is to “foster, promote, and develop the foreign and domestic commerce” of the United States.

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Economic Development Administration

By Chris Edwards and Tad DeHaven

The Economic Development Administration provides grants and loans to state and local governments, nonprofit groups, and businesses in regions that are supposed to be economically distressed.

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International Trade Administration

By Chris Edwards and Tad DeHaven

While trade is important to the U.S. economy, the ITA’s activities can distort trade and lead to political favoritism and corruption.

The federal government is running huge budget deficits, spending too much, and heading toward a financial crisis. Without a change of direction in Washington, average working families will be faced with large tax increases and a lower standard of living. This project is designed to help policymakers and the public understand where federal spending goes and how to reform each government department. It describes the failings of agencies and identifies specific programs to cut. It also discusses the systematic reasons why government programs are often obsolete, mismanaged, or otherwise dysfunctional.

Please contact Chris Edwards at cedwards@cato.org with questions or comments.

Information on the data sources for our charts.

Department of Commerce

Timeline: Department of Commerce

Department of Commerce Spending

Featured Content

Business Subsidies

Economic Development Administration

International Trade Administration

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