Welcome to the first-ever National Child Care Innovation Summit. Now, it may seem unusual for a Commerce Secretary to be so focused on childcare. But I’m here because childcare is not only a social issue or a “women’s issue.” It is also an economic issue. In fact, I'd argue it’s one of the most critical economic issues affecting families, businesses, and communities today. The lack of investment...

Since it was founded in 1969 by President Nixon, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) has been committed to its mission of promoting the growth of minority business enterprises through the mobilization and advancement of public and private sector programs, policy, and research. This mission is grounded in the knowledge that achieving the full potential of the U.S. economy requires that...

Achieving the full potential of the U.S. economy requires that every American entrepreneur can start and grow their business regardless of background. Yet some communities face disproportionate barriers to the resources needed to turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality. For example, the U.S. Federal Reserve found that more than half of Black-owned businesses were turned down for bank loans...

Today, U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Korean Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE) Ahn Duk-geun held the second United States-Korea Supply Chain and Commercial Dialogue (SCCD) Ministerial Meeting. The Secretary and Minister reviewed progress made to date between Commerce and MOTIE to deepen bilateral economic and commercial cooperation between the countries...

Yesterday, SelectUSA’s 10th Investment Summit came to a close, marking the largest Investment Summit in SelectUSA history, with over 5,000 attendees spanning 96 international markets and, for the first time, all 56 U.S. states and territories represented. “This year’s SelectUSA Investment Summit demonstrated why the United States remains the top destination for foreign direct investment for twelve...

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo Announces New Census Bureau Action to Track Child Care Data to Inform and Target Solutions to Child Care Crisis. Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce co-hosted, with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, a first-of-its-kind National Child Care Innovation Summit. The event brought together hundreds of key public- and private...

Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo met with European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager, Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Saito Ken, and Republic of Korea Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun to discuss the importance of trustworthy and resilient supply chains in key sectors. The Ministers discussed shared concerns regarding the...

Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Ken Saito held a ministerial meeting of the Japan-United States Commercial and Industrial Partnership (JUCIP). During the meeting, the Secretary and Minister expressed deep concern about the weaponization of economic dependencies as well as the use of non-market policies and practices on certain...

We, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo; Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry Saito Ken; and Republic of Korea (ROK) Minister of Trade, Industry, and Energy Ahn Duk-geun met in Washington today for the inaugural meeting of Commerce and Industry Ministers. United by the vision established by our three leaders at their historic Trilateral Summit at Camp David on August 18, 2023, we...

Minister Ahn, Minister Saito, it’s my honor to welcome you to the United States Department of Commerce. Thank you for being here for the first-ever U.S.-Japan-Korea Commerce and Industry Ministerial. When our leaders met at Camp David last August for their historic Trilateral Summit, they charged us with using this new, trilateral platform to raise our shared ambitions to a new horizon. This is an...