The Department of Commerce today issued a green paper outlining guiding principles and an approach to support the advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT is a transformational evolution in global technology with the potential to benefit public safety, health care, governance, the environment and improve the daily lives of workers and consumers. The report, developed by the Department’s...

At the request of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) of the Department of Commerce (DOC) conducted an assessment of the EB-5 program to determine its size and its contribution to the U.S. economy. To accomplish this, we examined individual projects that were active during a two-year...

Introduction The Department of Commerce (the Department) sits at the intersection of all business and economic issues, both domestically and abroad. A single mission unites our 12 bureaus and 46,000 employees: to help create the conditions for economic growth, job creation, and opportunity across the United States . The Department helps American companies prosper in the global economy. We issue...

In 2014, President Obama set out an ambitious goal to double the number of apprenticeships to 750,000 by the end of 2018 and to diversify them as well. This year the half-million mark was passed. However, despite their increasing popularity and the proven benefit to workers, apprenticeships are not fully understood in the United States, especially from the point of view of U.S. employers. The...

Recommendations from the Commerce Data Advisory Council to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker.

The internet has transformed how Americans live, work and play. It has connected people around the world in new ways through data that flows seamlessly across borders. Businesses rely on cross-border data flows to access markets and interact with customers across the globe, find new suppliers and communicate with their overseas affiliates. Citizens rely on these flows to access a wealth of...

Innovation and creative endeavors are indispensable elements that drive economic growth and sustain the competitive edge of the U.S. economy. The last century recorded unprecedented improvements in the health, economic well-being and overall quality of life for the entire U.S. population. 1 As the world leader in innovation, U.S. companies have relied on intellectual property (IP) as one of the...

In the past, as with goods, the provision of a service either required the physical delivery of information via traditional shipping options or required travel by the purchaser or provider. Now, businesses and consumers are increasingly using the internet to purchase services. While most commodities must still be physically delivered, there are a number of services that can be delivered almost...