Department of Commerce

Department of Commerce - one of the Cabinet departments, established in 1903. The Commerce Department is the center of the federal government's programs to promote the well-being of the economy and encourage business. Its mission is to encourage technological advances, help promote economic growth and encourage international trade. The agencies of the Department of Commerce include: the Bureau of the Census; the National Bureau of Standards; the Patent and Trademark Office; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; the United States Travel and Tourism Administration; the National Technical Information Service; the Minority Business Development Agency; the Bureau of Economic Analysis; the International Trade Administration, the Bureau of Export Administration, the Economic Development Administration, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.