15 U.S.C. § 1512 (COMMERCE AND TRADE)
§ 1512. Powers and duties of Department
It shall be the province and duty of said Department to foster, promote, and develop the foreign and domestic commerce, the mining, manufacturing, and fishery industries of the United States; and to this end it shall be vested with jurisdiction and control of the departments, bureaus, offices, and branches of the public service hereinafter specified, and with such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by law.
(Feb. 14, 1903, ch. 552, § 3, 32 Stat. 826; Pub. L. 97–31, § 12(7), Aug. 6, 1981, 95 Stat. 154.)
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: Codification
text: Section was formerly classified to section 596 of Title 5 prior to the general revision and enactment of Title 5 by Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 378.
heading: Amendments
text: 1981—Pub. L. 97–31 struck out references to shipping and transportation facilities.
heading: Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
heading: Manufacturing.gov Hub
text: Pub. L. 117–328, div. BB, title I, § 101, Dec. 29, 2022, 136 Stat. 5551, provided that:
“(a) Definition.—
In this section, the term ‘Secretary’ means the Secretary of Commerce.
“(b) Establishment.—
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 29, 2022], the Secretary, in coordination with the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Commerce, shall modify the manufacturing.gov website by establishing a section of the website to be known as the ‘manufacturing.gov hub’.
“(c) Functions.—
The manufacturing.gov hub established under subsection (b) shall—
“(1) serve as the primary hub for information relating to every Federal manufacturing program, including the programs identified in the report of the Government Accountability Office entitled ‘U.S. Manufacturing’ (GAO 17–240), published on March 28, 2017;
“(2) provide the contact information of relevant program offices carrying out the Federal manufacturing programs described in paragraph (1);
“(3) provide an avenue for public input and feedback relating to—
“(A) the functionality of the website of the Department of Commerce;
“(B) the Federal manufacturing programs described in paragraph (1); and
“(C) any other manufacturing-related challenges experienced by manufacturers in the United States;
“(4) establish web pages within the hub that shall focus on—
“(A) technology and research and development;
“(B) trade;
“(C) workforce development and training;
“(D) industrial commons and supply chains; and
“(E) small and medium manufacturers; and
“(5) use machine learning to—
“(A) identify frequently asked questions; and
“(B) disseminate to the public answers to the questions identified under subparagraph (A).
“(d) No Additional Funds.—
No additional funds are authorized to be appropriated for the purpose of carrying out this section.”
heading: Assistance to Fishery Participants
text: Pub. L. 116–136, div. B, title II, § 12005, Mar. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 518, provided that:
“(a) In General.—
The Secretary of Commerce is authorized to provide assistance to Tribal, subsistence, commercial, and charter fishery participants affected by the novel coronavirus (COVID–19), which may include direct relief payments.
“(b) Fishery Participants.—
For the purposes of this section, ‘fishery participants’ include Tribes, persons, fishing communities, aquaculture businesses not otherwise eligible for assistance under part 1416 of title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations for losses related to COVID–19, processors, or other fishery-related businesses, who have incurred, as a direct or indirect result of the coronavirus pandemic—
“(1) economic revenue losses greater than 35 percent as compared to the prior 5-year average revenue; or
“(2) any negative impacts to subsistence, cultural, or ceremonial fisheries.
“(c) Rolling Basis.—
Funds may be awarded under this section on a rolling basis, and within a fishing season, to ensure rapid delivery of funds during the COVID–19 pandemic.
“(d) Appropriations.—
In addition to funds that are otherwise made available to assist fishery participants under this Act [div. B of Pub. L. 116–136, see Tables for classification], there are authorized to be appropriated, and there are appropriated, $300,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2021, to carry out this section, of which up to 2 percent may be used for administration and oversight activities.
“(e) Emergency Requirement.—
The amount provided by this section is designated by the Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 [2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(A)(i)].”
[For definition of “coronavirus” as used in section 12005 of Pub. L. 116–136, set out above, see section 23005 of Pub. L. 116–136, set out as a note under section 162b of Title 2, The Congress.]
heading: Executive Documents
heading: Emergency Preparedness Functions
text: For assignment of certain emergency preparedness functions to the Secretary of Commerce, see Parts 1, 2, and 4 of Ex. Ord. No. 12656, Nov. 18, 1988, 53 F.R. 47491, set out as a note under section 5195 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.
heading: Executive Order No. 12864
text: Ex. Ord. No. 12864, Sept. 15, 1993, 58 F.R. 48773, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12890, Dec. 30, 1993, 59 F.R. 499; Ex. Ord. No. 12921, June 13, 1994, 59 F.R. 30667; Ex. Ord. No. 12970, Sept. 14, 1995, 60 F.R. 48359, which established the United States Advisory Council on the National Information Infrastructure, was revoked by Ex. Ord. No. 13062, § 3(d), Sept. 29, 1997, 62 F.R. 51756, formerly set out as a note under section 1013 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 13577. Establishment of the SelectUSA Initiative
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13577, June 15, 2011, 76 F.R. 35715, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and in order to support private-sector job creation and enhance economic growth by encouraging and supporting business investment in the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Business investment in the United States by both domestic and foreign firms, whether in the form of new equipment or facilities or the expansion of existing facilities, is a major engine of economic growth and job creation. In an era of global capital mobility, the United States faces increasing competition for retaining and attracting industries of the future and the jobs they create. My Administration is committed to enhancing the efforts of the United States to win the growing global competition for business investment by leveraging our advantages as the premier business location in the world.
As a place to do business, the United States offers a hardworking, diverse, and educated workforce, strong protection of intellectual property rights, a predictable and transparent legal system, relatively low taxes, highly developed infrastructure, and access to the world’s most lucrative consumer market. We welcome both domestic and foreign businesses to invest across the broad spectrum of the U.S. market.
The Federal Government lacks the centralized investment promotion infrastructure and resources to attract business investment that is often found in other industrialized countries. Currently, States and cities are competing against foreign governments to attract business investment. Our Nation needs to retain business investment and pursue and win new investment in the United States by better marketing our strengths, providing clear, complete, and consistent information, and removing unnecessary obstacles to investment.
Sec. 2. SelectUSA Initiative. (a) Establishment. There is established the SelectUSA Initiative (Initiative), a Government-wide initiative to attract and retain investment in the American economy. The Initiative is to be housed in the Department of Commerce. The mission of this Initiative shall be to facilitate business investment in the United States in order to create jobs, spur economic growth, and promote American competitiveness. The Initiative will provide enhanced coordination of Federal activities in order to increase the impact of Federal resources that support both domestic and foreign investment in the United States. In providing assistance, the Initiative shall work to maximize impact on business investment, job creation, and economic growth. The Initiative shall work on behalf of the entire Nation and shall exercise strict neutrality with regard to specific locations within the United States.
(b) Functions.
(i) The Initiative shall coordinate outreach and engagement by the Federal Government to promote the United States as the premier location to operate a business.
(ii) The Initiative shall serve as an ombudsman that facilitates the resolution of issues involving Federal programs or activities related to pending investments.
(iii) The Initiative shall provide information to domestic and foreign firms on: the investment climate in the United States; Federal programs and incentives available to investors; and State and local economic development organizations.
(iv) The Initiative shall report quarterly to the President through the National Economic Council, the Domestic Policy Council, and the National Security Staff, describing its outreach activities, requests for information received, and efforts to resolve issues.
(c) Administration. The Department of Commerce shall provide funding and administrative support for the Initiative through resources and staff assigned to work on the Initiative, to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations. The Secretary of Commerce shall designate a senior staff member as the Executive Director to lead the Initiative. The Executive Director shall coordinate activities both within the Department of Commerce and with other executive departments and agencies that have activities relating to business investment decisions.
(d) Federal Interagency Investment Working Group.
(i) There is established the Federal Interagency Investment Working Group (Working Group), which will be convened and chaired by the Initiative’s Executive Director, in coordination with the Director of the National Economic Council.
(ii) The Working Group shall consist of senior officials from the Departments of State, the Treasury, Defense, Justice, the Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, Energy, Education, and Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Small Business Administration, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the Domestic Policy Council, the National Economic Council, the National Security Staff, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Council of Economic Advisers, as well as such additional executive departments, agencies, and offices as the Secretary of Commerce may designate. Senior officials shall be designated by and report to the Deputy Secretary or official at the equivalent level of their respective offices, departments, and agencies.
(iii) The Working Group shall coordinate activities to promote business investment and respond to specific issues that affect business investment decisions.
(iv) The Department of Commerce shall provide funding and administrative support for the Working Group to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations.
(e) Department and Agency Participation. All executive departments and agencies that have activities relating to business investment decisions shall cooperate with the Initiative, as requested by the Initiative’s Executive Director, to support its objectives.
Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof, or the status of that department or agency within the Federal Government; or
(ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Barack Obama.
[Reference to the National Security Staff deemed to be a reference to the National Security Council Staff, see Ex. Ord. No. 13657, set out as a note under section 3021 of Title 50, War and National Defense.]
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 13731. Global Entrepreneurship
text: Ex. Ord. No. 13731, June 24, 2016, 81 F.R. 42221, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. The American spirit of entrepreneurship is one of our most admired values around the world, and the United States has produced many of the world’s most respected businesses and inspiring business creators. At a time when many societies confront extremism, unemployment, and slow economic growth, entrepreneurship holds out the promise of opportunity, prosperity, and security.
It is in the national interest for the Federal Government to support innovation, global entrepreneurship, and the American private sector. Linking entrepreneurs with capital, new networks, and markets and providing skills and training will allow them to grow their businesses and positively impact their communities. It is also necessary that we help enable our global partners to invest in the tools and infrastructure that make this possible, including high-speed broadband; business incubators and accelerators; regional economic development programs and extension services; international people-to-people exchange programs; and the technical, export, and business assistance and mentoring that entrepreneurs need worldwide in order to drive economic growth and job creation.
This order sets forth the administration and goals of several programs designed to connect American and foreign entrepreneurs with the Federal Government and promote entrepreneurship across the United States and around the world by sharing the knowledge, experience, and connectivity necessary to help develop the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Sec. 2. Administration of the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship Program. (a) The Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) shall administer the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship Program (PAGE Program) to enable individuals who exemplify the spirit of American entrepreneurship and who have proven track records to use their networks, platforms, and voices to support aspiring entrepreneurs and advance public policies that encourage entrepreneurship in the United States and around the globe. Individuals selected for participation in the PAGE Program shall be known as PAGE Members.
(b) The PAGE Program shall be administered by a Director, appointed by the Secretary under authorities of the Department of Commerce (Commerce). Commerce shall provide necessary staff, resources, and administrative support for the PAGE Program to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations.
Sec. 3. PAGE Advisory Board. (a) The Secretary shall establish an Advisory Board to advise the Secretary by recommending such priorities, standards, and partnerships as may be beneficial to fulfill the goals of the PAGE Program and to identify potential opportunities for PAGE Members to support the PAGE Program.
(b) The Secretary shall serve as Chair of the Advisory Board. In addition to the Chair, the membership of the Advisory Board shall include the Secretary of State, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), or their designees, and such other representatives of executive departments and agencies (agencies) as may be designated by the Secretary. Consistent with law, the Advisory Board may consult with industry, academia, and other non-federal entities to ensure that the PAGE Program is continually identifying opportunities to apply innovative practices in effective ways to promote entrepreneurship.
Sec. 4. Selection of PAGE Members. (a) The Secretary, in accordance with applicable law, shall prescribe appropriate procedures for the selection of PAGE Members. PAGE Members will total no more than 25 at any given time.
(b) PAGE Members may participate in the PAGE Program for periods of 2 years, and may be selected to participate for additional periods at the discretion of the Secretary.
Sec. 5. Responsibilities of Agencies. The Department of State (State), USAID, and SBA are encouraged to work with the Secretary and the Advisory Board to maximize the PAGE Program’s benefits to innovation, global entrepreneurship, and the American private sector through the identification of opportunities for entrepreneurs to access capital, education, mentorships, and other services that will help to grow their businesses.
Sec. 6. Global Entrepreneurship Summit. (a) The Secretary of State shall coordinate the Federal Government’s participation in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), which will focus on connecting entrepreneurs around the world and empowering them to expand their enterprises and build lasting relationships with the United States; increasing global economic prosperity; building secure communities; promoting responsible business conduct, including business practices to encourage greater representation of all people, including women, youth, and minorities; and using innovation to solve pressing global challenges.
(b) State shall coordinate with Commerce, USAID, and SBA to identify and carry out programs and activities that will further the goals of the GES to the extent permitted by law and within existing appropriations.
Sec. 7. Accelerating Entrepreneurship and Economic Opportunity by Expanding Internet Access Globally. State, in coordination with other agencies, multilateral institutions, foreign countries, and stakeholders, shall work to actively promote global Internet connectivity. Specifically, the Global Connect Initiative shall focus on encouraging foreign countries to prioritize Internet connectivity in development plans, promoting the formation of region-specific multi-sector working groups to ensure technical and regulatory best practices, and encouraging the development of digital literacy programs in developing nations.
Sec. 8. Global Connect International Connectivity Steering Group. (a) In order to ensure a coordinated and consistent approach in agency implementation of the goals set forth in section 7 of this order, there is hereby established a Global Connect International Connectivity Steering Group (Steering Group), chaired by State.
(b) The Steering Group shall be composed of a representative from each of the following agencies:
(i) the Department of State;
(ii) the Department of the Treasury;
(iii) the Department of Defense;
(iv) the Department of Commerce;
(v) the Department of Transportation;
(vi) the United States Trade Representative;
(vii) the Small Business Administration;
(viii) the United States Trade and Development Agency;
(ix) the Millennium Challenge Corporation;
(x) the Overseas Private Investment Corporation [now the United States International Development Finance Corporation];
(xi) the Export-Import Bank of the United States; and
(xii) the United States Agency for International Development.
(c) The Chair shall invite a representative from the Federal Communications Commission, and may invite a representative from any other department, agency, component, or office the Chair deems appropriate, to participate as a member of the Steering Group.
(d) The Chair shall consult with the following entities in setting the agenda of the Steering Group and ensuring coordination with other Administration policies:
(i) the National Economic Council;
(ii) the National Security Council Staff; and
(iii) the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
(e) Not later than 6 months after the date of this order, the Steering Group shall report to the Secretary of State. In this report, the Steering Group shall:
(i) describe the current state of agency procedures, requirements, programs, and policies related to the goals of the Global Connect Initiative; and
(ii) provide updates on the strategy and the evaluation criteria for Federal contributions to the Global Connect Initiative.
(f) The Secretary of State may request a periodic update of this report every 12 months thereafter, through 2020, on progress that has been made in achieving the goals of the Global Connect Initiative.
Sec. 9. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to a department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Barack Obama.
heading: Ex. Ord. No. 14255. Establishing the United States Investment Accelerator
text: Ex. Ord. No. 14255, Mar. 31, 2025, 90 F.R. 14701, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose. The United States is the most powerful economy in the world, but slow, complex, and burdensome American regulatory processes at every stage of a company’s development and operation make significant domestic and foreign investment harder than necessary. Regulations hamper investment, permitting, and site selection, and numerous overlapping Federal, State, and local legal regimes with complex and often duplicative requirements significantly delay construction. It is in the interest of the American people that the Federal Government dramatically expand its assistance to companies seeking to invest and build in the United States.
Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States to modernize its processes to attract substantial domestic and foreign investment in the United States and to actively assist those building here for the benefit of our Nation’s economic prosperity to unleash investment from our small businesses to the largest companies.
Sec. 3. The United States Investment Accelerator. (a) Within 30 days of the date of this order [Mar. 31, 2025], the Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, shall establish within the Department of Commerce an office named the United States Investment Accelerator (Investment Accelerator). The Investment Accelerator shall facilitate and accelerate investments above $1 billion in the United States by assisting investors as they navigate United States Government regulatory processes efficiently, reduce regulatory burdens where consistent with applicable law, increase access to and use of our national resources where appropriate and consistent with applicable law, facilitate research collaborations with our national labs, and work with State governments in all 50 States to reduce regulatory barriers to, and increase, domestic and foreign investment in the United States.
(b) The Investment Accelerator shall be headed by an Executive Director and staffed with legal, transactional, operational, and support staff as directed by the Secretary of Commerce. The Investment Accelerator shall be responsible for the CHIPS Program Office within the Department of Commerce, which shall focus on delivering the benefit of the bargain for taxpayers by negotiating much better deals than those of the previous administration.
(c) The Investment Accelerator shall identify any existing mechanisms, exceptions, and opportunities in Federal law that can be used to assist foreign and domestic investors, consistent with the protection of national security.
Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
Donald J. Trump.