The U.S. Department of Commerce is a federal executive department responsible for promoting economic growth, fair trade, innovation, and data-driven policymaking in the United States. It oversees key agencies including the International Trade Administration (ITA), Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Its work spans trade policy and enforcement, export controls, standards and measurement science, intellectual property, and economic statistics.
For the chemical industry, the Department of Commerce plays a central role in: administering antidumping and countervailing duty investigations that affect chemical products; conducting national security–related trade investigations (e.g., under Section 232); enforcing export controls on dual‑use chemicals, materials, and manufacturing equipment; advancing measurement and materials standards via NIST; and supporting U.S. manufacturing competitiveness through programs such as the Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Through Census and BEA, it also provides market, production, and trade data used by chemical producers, suppliers, and policymakers.
