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...

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...

Wisconsin-based companies, Miron and Boldt join a growing list of construction industry leaders, including Bechtel and Turner who announced their support earlier last week. On Friday, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo traveled to Milwaukee to join Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership WRTP | BIG STEP for a roundtable on women in construction and the trades...

Joint initiative strengthens federal workforce technical assistance to foreign multinational businesses in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan starting or expanding U.S. operations Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced a market expansion of SelectTalentUSA, a joint initiative across the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Labor, and Education providing technical assistance to foreign businesses to...

Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo welcomed the announcement that the IPEF Upskilling Initiative has already delivered over 10.9 million in-person, hybrid, and online upskilling opportunities, surpassing its goal of providing 7 million opportunities by 2032. Specifically, the Initiative has supported over 5.2 million women and girls across the eight participating IPEF partner...

Earlier this month, the Department of Commerce Office of Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships, in partnership with Hispanic Access , hosted the National Latino Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C. This summit was a significant step towards empowering the Latino community and building their capacity to advocate for themselves, their families, and their community. Secretary Raimondo, Deputy...

Construction companies including Baker Construction, Gilbane Building Company, McKissack & McKissack, Mortenson, Power Design, Shawmut Design and Construction, and Suffolk sign on to Million Women in Construction Community Pledge Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced the Million Women in Construction Community Pledge to bring more women into the construction workforce -- as well as...

“America is the most competitive country in the world, and that’s because of the strength of our workforce. But if we want to stay ahead, we need to ensure we are empowering our workers with the skills they need to secure the good-paying jobs we’re creating under President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.” —U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo On May 14, 2024, Secretary Raimondo...

President Biden’s economic plan is supporting investments and creating good jobs in key sectors that are vital for America’s economic future and national security. China’s unfair trade practices concerning technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation are threatening American businesses and workers. China is also flooding global markets with artificially low-priced exports. In...

NEWPORT, RI – Today, the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new facility on Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island that will serve as the future home of the NOAA Marine Operations Center-Atlantic . In December, the U.S. Navy, on behalf of NOAA, awarded $146,778,932 to Skanska USA to build the new NOAA facility. The...