# Department of Commerce 

[Back to Downsizing Government](/downsizing-government) 

##### Blog Posts 

##### [A Reality Check on US Industrial Policy and the Manufacturing “Boom”](/blog/reality-check-us-industrial-policy-manufacturing-boom) 

By [Scott Lincicome](https://www.cato.org/people/scott-lincicome) 

##### [Stabilizing Debt at 100% of GDP](/blog/stabilizing-debt-100-gdp) 

By [Chris Edwards](https://www.cato.org/people/chris-edwards) 

##### [For Spending Cuts, How about the EDA?](/blog/spending-cuts-how-about-eda) 

By [Chris Edwards](https://www.cato.org/people/chris-edwards) 

### [Timeline: Department of Commerce](/downsizing-government-essay/department-commerce-timeline)

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.

[View Timeline](/downsizing-government-essay/department-commerce-timeline) 

##### Department of Commerce Spending 

[![Dept. of Commerce Static Graph](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/pubs_2x/public/2025-10/CommerceOutlays.png?itok=OEQ6GJ_y)](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government/charts#/selectedIDs=AG002) 

This chart was generated using our [interactive charting tool](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government/charts#/selectedIDs=AG002), which visualizes data from the federal spending database released by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

#### Featured Content 

[![Government Subsidy](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2024-07/government-subsidy%20Cropped.jpg?itok=K59VjTph)](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government-essay/business-subsidies) 

Study 

### [Business Subsidies](/downsizing-government-essay/business-subsidies) 

By [Chris Edwards](https://www.cato.org/people/chris-edwards) and [Tad DeHaven](https://www.cato.org/people/tad-dehaven) 

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

[![Economic Development Administration](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2025-05/economic-development-administration%20Cropped.jpg?itok=4Vg65_bO)](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government-essay/economic-development-administration) 

Study 

### [Economic Development Administration](/downsizing-government-essay/economic-development-administration) 

By [Chris Edwards](https://www.cato.org/people/chris-edwards) and [Tad DeHaven](https://www.cato.org/people/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.

[![trade war](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/content_teaser/public/2025-04/GettyImages-2198778260.jpg?itok=6mQOupiV)](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government-essay/international-trade-administration) 

Study 

### [International Trade Administration](/downsizing-government-essay/international-trade-administration) 

By [Chris Edwards](https://www.cato.org/people/chris-edwards) and [Tad DeHaven](https://www.cato.org/people/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.

[![Downsizing Government](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/aside_mobile/public/2025-05/Downsizing%20Gov.png?itok=4YAi4cGI)](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government) 

##### About 

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](mailto:cedwards@cato.org) with questions or comments.

[Information on the data sources for our charts.](https://www.cato.org/downsizing-government/charts?showAbout=true)