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Office of Public Engagement Monthly Newsletter - April 2023 |
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Welcome to the April 2023 edition of the Office of Public Engagement’s monthly newsletter!
For inquiries, please email BusinessLiaison@doc.gov
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Secretary Raimondo was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2023 because of her work to revive US manufacturing and rebuild the country’s technological infrastructure. Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed speaks to Secretary Raimondo’s accomplishments and leadership in the article attached here. |
“The NSTC will be an ambitious public-private consortium where government, industry, customers, suppliers, educational institutions, entrepreneurs, and investors will come together to innovate, connect, and solve problems.” - Secretary Gina Raimondo
On April 25, the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a paper for their vision and strategy for a National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC). This center is a vital R&D component established by the CHIPS and Science Act.
The three main goals of the NSTC are to 1) extend America’s leadership in semiconductor technology, 2) reduce the cost and time needed to move a design from idea to commercialization, and 3) build and sustain a semiconductor workforce development ecosystem.
Click here to read the full press release, here to access the full paper, and here to access the CHIPS website.
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As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, President Biden and Vice President Harris announced that the Department of Commerce recommended $562 million for nearly 150 projects across 30 coastal states and territories to make communities and the economy more resilient to climate change. Read more about the funding here.
The awards are made under NOAA’s Climate-Ready Coasts Initiative and are funded by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and bolstered by the Inflation Reduction Act. These investments will create jobs while protecting people, communities and ecosystems from the threats of climate change, and help our nation take the steps it needs to become more resilient and build a clean energy economy.
Take our quiz below to test your knowledge about NOAA!
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Deputy Secretary Don Graves joined the Iron Workers Legislative Dinner. Iron Workers have used their skills for more than a century to build a better America, beam by beam. As the Biden-Harris Administration champions infrastructure investments around the country, we are securing economic and national security for decades to come with Iron Workers at the front and center of this work. See the Deputy Secretary's tweet highlighting this workforce powerhouse here.
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The National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is housed within the Department of Commerce announced that it has awarded grants of over $5.8 million to 12 Tribes as a part of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP).
These grants from President Biden’s Internet for All initiative will help reduce monthly Internet service costs, plan for future Internet infrastructure investments, upgrade network equipment, and purchase devices. These new grants will expand Internet access for 164 Tribal households.
In the next few months, NTIA will release a second Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for an additional round of funding from the TBCP program.
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“I am excited to welcome applications for the 2023 Market Development Cooperator Program, and I look forward to the innovative projects that come from partnering with export experts at ITA.” - Secretary Gina Raimondo
The Department of Commerce recently announced a new funding opportunity, the Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) that will support projects of up to $300,000 that are aimed at generating US exports, addressing trade barriers, enhancing US industry competitiveness, and creating jobs in the US.
The International Trade Administration (ITA) will administer the MDCP and will select projects submitted by eligible groups such as non-profit industry groups. ITA will provide the selected candidates with financial and technical assistance for 3 to 5 year long projects that meet the objectives above.
The deadline to submit applications is June 20, 2023. Click here to learn more about the application process and program itself. And email mdcp@trade.gov for more help.
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Secretary Raimondo & Deputy Secretary Graves April Travels
Portland, Oregon
On April 5th, Secretary Raimondo traveled to Portland to hear about the progress Oregon is making towards CHIPS production and workforce development. The Secretary discussed how the Biden-Harris Administration is investing in America and stressed the impact of the CHIPS Program. She also heard from students, teachers, elected officials, and business leaders, and toured a mechatronics lab at Portland Community College’s Hillsboro campus. Oregon is home to about 15 percent of the country’s semiconductor workforce. Click here to read more.
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New York, New York
“Right now, there are about one million women working in the construction industry. . .I’m here to tell you that together we are going to double that over the next decade to create opportunity for another million women.” - Secretary Raimondo
Secretary Raimondo traveled to New York City to speak at the National Action Network Convention about Commerce’s work to promote equity across the country and expand growth and opportunity to all communities. You can watch Secretary Raimondo’s remarks here.
Secretary Raimondo then joined the Department of Labor Women’s Bureau at Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW), toured the organization’s training facility, and met with women who are learning carpentry and electrical work for careers in construction and the trades. Last year, Secretary Raimondo announced her “Million Women in Construction” initiative. Learn more about Million Women in Construction here.
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Wichita, Kansas
Secretary Raimondo joined Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and US Senator Jerry Moran to tour Wichita State University’s Advanced Manufacturing Lab and Virtual Reality Lab and participate in a roundtable on the Department of Commerce’s Internet for All initiative with local education, business, and elected leaders. Click here to learn more about her visit.
During the roundtable, Secretary Raimondo emphasized the work Commerce is doing to bring affordable high-speed internet access to every person in Kansas and across the country. She heard from other speakers about the challenges that rural Kansas is facing to expand internet access. By working with the local leaders and their communities, and taking the time to get it right, the country will be able to close the digital divide for good and increase the opportunity for everyone in Kansas and America to succeed.
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Hickory, North Carolina
Secretary Raimondo and Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson traveled to Hickory, North Carolina to celebrate the announcement of new fiber optic cable production in the U.S., made possible by the Administration’s Internet for All Initiative as a part of the Biden-Harris Administration's "Investing in America Tour".
As a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s requirement for the use of materials made in America and products federally funded infrastructure projects, two key manufacturers based in Hickory – CommScope and Corning – announced that they would be investing a combined nearly $550 million and creating hundreds of new jobs in America to create the fiber optic cables that will help close the digital divide. To learn more about this announcement and the Administration’s Internet for All initiative, click here.
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Colorado Springs, Denver & Boulder, Colorado
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves addressed space leaders from around the world on the future of the space sector and ways to make space more commercially accessible at the Space Foundation’s Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. During his keynote address, Deputy Secretary Graves stressed President Biden’s commitment to ramp up U.S. government engagement with American business in support of the space economy.
The following day, Graves attended the Annual Space Weather Workshop in Boulder, Colorado on the importance of programs to monitor, understand, and forecast space weather. Graves outlined how the Commerce Department is working to become a Space Weather-Ready Nation by providing actionable space weather information.
During his visit to Boulder, Graves also met with employees from Commerce’s National Weather Service (NWS) and the National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS) and thanked them for their hard work, dedication, and public service. He saw first-hand how they are providing important life-saving information to Colorado and space weather forecasts for the U.S. and international community.
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Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Don Graves hosted a roundtable at Metropolitan State University of Denver’s facility that houses the Lockheed Martin Additive Manufacturing Laboratory on semiconductor fabrication, research and design and workforce development. This served as a valuable opportunity to discuss workforce training for manufacturing jobs with Colorado business leaders and educators.
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Earlier this month, it was announced that a US delegation will travel to Singapore in May for the third round of negotiating for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. These negotiations follow the first round of negotiations, which was held in Brisbane, Australia, a special negotiating round in New Delhi, India, and the second round, which was held in Bali, Indonesia.
For more information about IPEF, click here.
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QUIZ: How Much Do You Know About NOAA?
1. Which bureau in the Department of Commerce is responsible for the National Weather Service (NWS) that provides weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts?
a) BIS – Bureau of Industry and Security
b) NOAA – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
c) ITA – International Trade Administration
d) NTIS – National Technical Information Service
2. What is the difference between weather and climate?
a) Climate is the state of the atmosphere in a particular location over a short time period whereas weather is the average temperature pattern in a location over a longer time period (usually 30+ years)
b) Climate can change quicker than weather
c) Weather is the state of the atmosphere in a particular location over a short time period whereas climate is the average temperature pattern in a location over a longer time period (usually 30+ years)
d) There is no difference between weather and climate, the two terms are interchangeable
3. Over the past 15 years, there have been ___ separate weather or climate disasters in the U.S. costing a combined ___ in damages.
a) 156; $1.16 trillion
b) 100; $1 billion
c) 112; $50 billion
d) 97; $100 million
4. Which one of these offices is NOT part of the NOAA organizational structure?
a) Office of Space Commerce
b) National Marine Fisheries Service
c) Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
d) All of these offices are part of the NOAA organizational structure
5. True or false: If I am not a scientist, then I do not need to understand climate change and the impacts it can have on my business and/or community because there is nothing I can do about it.
a) True
b) False
CORRECT ANSWERS:
1- b) NOAA
2- c) Weather is the state of the atmosphere in a particular location over a short time period whereas climate is the average temperature pattern in a location over a longer time period (usually 30+ years)
3- a) 156; $1.16 trillion
4- d) All of these offices are part of the NOAA organizational structure
5- b) False! Everyone should understand the impacts of climate change and take action wherever possible within their households, communities, and businesses. Luckily, NOAA’s website has plenty of accessible resources, check them out here.
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Personnel Spotlight: Chris Slevin
New Chief of Staff for the Department of Commerce
Q: Community involvement is integral to your background as you started your public service career as a Public Information Officer in the West Orange Township in New Jersey. What brought you to public service in the first place?
A: Similar to a lot of people, my initial interest came through school when presented with opportunities for student council and other community engagement. After college, I was a newspaper reporter right outside of Newark, New Jersey. That then led to an opportunity to work for the mayor to help the town go through a bit of a transition in political leadership and rebuild trust. I connected directly with citizens of the town, talked with reporters, and worked with the leadership towards shared goals and initiatives. It was a formative experience for me that affirmed an interest in pursuing public policy. That led me to focus on coming to DC, to work on politics and policy.
Q: What are you most excited to work on coming into Commerce?
A: The work that I've done the last 12-15 years has had the common thread of helping communities rebuild and transition in the global economy. A lot of this work for me was informed by coming to DC, working on trade policy, working with labor unions, economic development organizations, and industry. I was getting into the weeds and working with communities and policymakers in Congress, and also engaging on the state level, informing different strategies to help communities rebuild. A lot of that work through the Bush, Obama and Trump administrations led me to working with the Commerce Department. I'm excited to build on that foundation and learn even more about the issues I haven't had as much experience with.
Q: During your tenure at the White House, you saw through the passage of key economic accomplishments such as the CHIPS Act, BIL, and IRA. What role did stakeholder engagement play to get these key pieces of legislation through the finish line?
A: An inside/outside strategy is critical to pushing any significant legislation through Congress. There were coalitions behind each bill - some that had been working at issues for several years, and others that came together more recently towards a common cause. With each piece of legislation, work with these types of stakeholders were critical. On the CHIPS and Science Act, there was a built-in constituency that had been focused on the diminished semiconductor industry in the United States for a while. Economic advances in emerging tech have been concentrated in a few places, and they were leading advocates to tap into innovation and tech across the country. All of this is also critical to our economic and national security. Last spring/early summer, we worked with Secretary Raimondo and other key administration officials to really step up the stakeholder engagement to ensure that the opportunity to pass the bill didn't bypass us.
Q: We're in the process of implementing these policies, how do you advise stakeholders stay involved in the process? What type of impact are you looking for them to make in this new stage?
A: Just because we got the bills passed doesn't mean that the work is done. The work to keep Congress, state, and local officials informed is critical to making these policies durable. A lot of the actual work of these bills will be done by stakeholders. Telling the story and shaping the narrative is a key role that they can, and should, continue to take on.
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Grant Opportunities Preview
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Building Capacity for Environmental Literacy
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Apr 03, 2023. Applicants must notify NOAA of their intent to apply by March 3, 2023.
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Geospatial Modeling Grant
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ITA Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP)
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CHIPS Incentives Program – Commercial Fabrication Facilities
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To view all available funding opportunities across the Biden-Harris administration, click here:
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