The United States Commerce Department is a far-reaching multifaceted organization. Commerce has a budget of $15 billion, with 50,000 employees in twelve Bureaus and a number of offices that support worldwide operations. One of Commerce’s main functions is data gathering and analysis by organizations like the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and the U.S. Census Bureau. Other well-known parts of Commerce are the Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The bi-partisan CHIPS and Science Act is an extremely important piece of legislation that Commerce is coordinating. The organization is led by Gina Raimondo, the 51-year-old former Governor of Rhode Island. She is a dynamic problem solver and skilled manager. Leading twelve different bureaus requires strong organizational and communication skills. Her current focus is to bring semiconductor (chip) manufacturing back to America.
The CHIPS and Science Act establishes a program to re-establish America’s leadership in technology and protect our economic and national security. The CHIPS Act provides the Department of Commerce with $50 billion for a group of programs to revitalize the U.S. position in semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing.
Chips form the foundation of every advanced technology including the smartphone, cloud computing service, new cars, medical devices, and the weapons system our military use.
