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.
Codification
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.
Amendments
1981—Pub. L. 97–31 struck out references to shipping and transportation facilities.
Assistance to Fishery Participants
Pub. L. 116–136, div. B, title II, §12005, Mar. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 518, provided that:
"(a)
"(b)
"(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)
"(d)
"(e)
[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.]
Emergency Preparedness Functions
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.
Executive Order No. 12864
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1995, 60 F.R. 48359, which established the United States Advisory Council on the National Information Infrastructure, was revoked by Ex.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 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Ex. Ord. No. 13577. Establishment of the SelectUSA Initiative
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:
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.
(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.
(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.]
Ex. Ord. No. 13731. Global Entrepreneurship
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:
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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.
(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.