2023 Monthly Newsletter

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Deputy Secretary Graves Hosts Environmental Justice Reception

On September 15, Deputy Secretary of Commerce, Don Graves, hosted a convening highlighting the Commerce Department’s role in the Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious environmental justice and climate resilience agenda. Through DOC-administered funding programs, Commerce is building a Climate-Ready Nation—one whose prosperity, health, security and continued growth is resilient to the impacts of climate change.  Infused in these initiatives is the commitment to make sure every community, particularly the underserved and marginalized, can not just withstand, but thrive in the face of the challenges the changing climate brings. Two Commerce Department grantees were featured for their work to advance environmental justice in their communities; the Appalachian Climate Technologies Coalition (ACT NOW) and the Nothing Without Us Project. The event also included remarks from: White House Council on Environmental Quality Senior Director for Environmental Justice, Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator Dr. Richard Spinrad Deputy Economic Development Administration Assistant Secretary for Policy and External Affairs Cristina Killingsworth Department of Commerce Assistant Secretary for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Susie Feliz House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl Grijalva

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final National Security Guardrails for CHIPS for America Incentives Program

On September 22nd, the Department of Commerce released the final rule implementing the national security guardrails of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act. The rule details national security guardrails, most notably: Establishes Standards to Restrict Expansion of Advanced Facilities in Foreign Countries of Concern Limits the Expansion of Legacy Facilities in Foreign Countries of Concern Classifies Semiconductors as Critical to National Security Details Restrictions on Joint Research and Technology Licensing Efforts with Foreign Entities of Concern This final rule follows careful consideration of comments submitted in response to the proposed rule, which was published in March 2023. The Department reviewed and incorporated suggestions from stakeholders, including representatives of the domestic and foreign semiconductor industry, academia, labor organizations, trade associations, and others in developing this rule. For more information, see the full press release.

U.S. Census Bureau Solicits Nominations for Newly Formed 2030 Census Advisory Committee

The Census Bureau recently announced it will establish a new federal advisory committee focused on the 2030 Census. The Committee is another way the Census Bureau is engaging with diverse voices as it prepares for the next decennial census and seeks external perspectives on its plans to address census undercounts, communicate with different communities and collect census information in an easy and efficient way.

The Census Bureau invites the public to nominate panel members representing stakeholder organizations, groups, interests and viewpoints to review the agencies plans and provide feedback, advise the agency on communicating with the public, provide recommendations on proposed data products, offer suggestions for employee recruitment strategies and more. Members will serve as representatives of their respective group or viewpoint. Instructions for submitting nominations are available in the Federal Register notice. The Census Bureau plans to convene the first meeting of the new committee late this year or in early 2024.

Secretary Gina Raimondo and the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity through Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Secretary Gina Raimondo recently gave remarks at the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (Initiative) that welcomed institution executive leaders, faculty, students, and supporters to the 2023 National HBCU Week Conference. The annual National HBCU Week Conference is the nation’s premier convening of key influencers in the HBCU space. It is implemented under the leadership of the Initiative, in close consultation with the Executive Office of the President and U.S. Department of Education. The event provides a unique occasion for 3,300 representatives from HBCUs, federal agencies, private-sector companies and philanthropic organizations to participate and provide useful information and successful models to improve instruction, degree completion, and federal engagement —all of which strengthen the role of HBCUs. This year’s theme is “Raising the Bar: Forging Excellence through Innovation & Leadership. In his executive order reestablishing the White House Initiative on HBCUs, President Biden charged the Initiative to develop new and expand pre-existing national networks of individuals, organizations, and communities to share and implement administrative and programmatic best practices related to advancing educational equity, excellence, and opportunity at HBCUs. This event will identify and target tangible opportunities that will connect federal and private resources to the HBCU community.

EDA Awards $19.8 Million to Communities Across the Country

• $4.4 million to the city of Madras, Oregon, to support infrastructure improvements designed to help revitalize the community’s downtown area for business expansion and growth. For more information, see the full press release.
• $3.1 million to the Port of Chehalis in Chehalis, Washington, to bolster agricultural production and processing in southwestern Washington. For more information, see the full press release.
• $2.5 million to North Baldwin Utilities in Bay Minette, Alabama, for water infrastructure upgrades to support a new aluminum manufacturing facility and create jobs in the region. For more information, see the full press release.
• $2 million to the Pine Ridge Regional Industrial Authority, Inc. in Hazard, Kentucky, to construct a new laboratory building for the Hazard Community and Technical College. For more information, see the full press release.
• $2 million to Converse County, Wyoming, to expand the workforce training lab at Eastern Wyoming College in Douglas. For more information, see the full press release.
• $1.6 million to York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina, to support workforce development and job creation in the industrial sector. For more information, see the full press release.
• $1.3 million to the SOVA Innovation Hub in South Boston, Virginia, to bolster small business development in the region. For more information, see the full press release.
• $1.2 million to the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development (MACED) in Berea, Kentucky, to support disaster relief and recovery efforts following severe storms and flooding in July 2022. For more information, see the full press release.
• $960,000 to The Enterprise Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to establish the Infrastructure Innovations and Business Opportunities Center in Newark, New Jersey. For more information, see the full press release.
• $742,180 to Wiregrass Georgia Technical College in Fitzgerald, Georgia, to enhance their truck driver training program and support job creation in the region. For more information, see the full press release.

Deputy Secretary Graves Leads Cybersecurity Trade Mission to the Republic of Korea and Japan

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves led 15 American companies on a Cybersecurity Trade Mission to the Republic of Korea and Japan, from September 20 – 26, 2023. Deputy Secretary Graves’ travel follows President Biden’s Trilateral Summit with President Yoon of Korea and Prime Minister Kishida of Japan. While in Korea and Japan, Deputy Secretary Graves deepened commercial ties with the U.S. in cybersecurity and other critical emerging technologies by strengthening joint efforts to safeguard our critical infrastructure and tech ecosystems from those who seek to undermine our national and economic security. His visit will further the Administration’s efforts to promote a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific Region. Follow along the Deputy Secretary's travel here.

MBDA Announces 2023 National Minority Enterprise Development Week

As part of their efforts to accelerate minority business growth and advance economic equity the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) and the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) are collaborating to bring this year’s NMSDC Annual Conference & Exchange and MBDA National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week to Baltimore October 22- 25. The conferences will be held in the same space to maximize attendance opportunities and will include MBDA-contributed federal government programming focused on creating greater opportunity for the minority business community.

For more information, see the full announcement.

Coverage for Half a Million Children and Families Will Be Reinstated Thanks to HHS' Swift Action

On September 21st, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it has helped half a million children and families regain their Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance (CHIP) coverage. On August 30th, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) swiftly flagged a system issue where state systems inappropriately disenrolled eligible children. Due to their letter to all states, nearly 500,000 children and other individuals regained their coverage from Medicaid or CHIP. During the renewals process, CMS has offered states numerous strategies to make renewal processes easier.  For more information, see the full press release.

Joint U.S. Department of Commerce and USTR Readout of Fifth Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Negotiating Round in Thailand

 The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) participated in the fifth in-person negotiating round for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) in Bangkok, Thailand, from September 10-16, 2023. The U.S. delegation was co-led by Sharon H. Yuan, U.S. Department of Commerce Counselor and IPEF Pillars II-IV Chief Negotiator, and Sarah Ellerman, Assistant United States Trade Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific and IPEF Pillar I Chief Negotiator.

Building on the discussions that took place during the fourth negotiating round in Busan, South Korea, in July 2023, the IPEF partners continued to make progress on negotiations towards high-standard outcomes under Pillars I (Trade), III (Clean Economy), and IV (Fair Economy). Officials also continued discussions on the next steps for the proposed IPEF Supply Chain Agreement (Pillar II) following the substantial conclusion of negotiations in May and public release of the text on September 7. 

2023 National Youth Summit Hosted by the DOC Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

The Office of Faith and Neighborhood Partnerships held the National Youth Summit on September 21st, 2023, to engage and uplift America’s youth. The summit provided an opportunity for young leaders to meet and hear from distinguished members of the Department of Commerce and across the federal Government, such as Deputy Secretary of Education-Cindy Marten, NASA Administrator Nelson, Congressman Maxwell Frost, Mayor Muriel Bowser, and more. Attendees had the chance to connect to various Commerce and interagency jobs, internships, and apprenticeships, while also having a direct dialogue with key DOC bureau leaders from MBDA, ITA, NOAA, USPTO, NTIA, and Census, as well as interagency partners like NASA, AmeriCorps, USDA, HUD, HHS, DHS-FEMA, and more. The summit successfully empowered and inspired up-and-coming youth leaders through workshops on entrepreneurship, data and innovation, leadership, and a powerful youth panel where participants spoke on their experiences as young entrepreneurs, founders, community organizers, and climate activists. For more information and video clips, visit National Youth Summit 2023. Contact: CommerceFBNP@doc.gov

Secretary Raimondo Addresses the Role of Hispanic-Serving Institutions in Training the Next Generation of Leaders for the Jobs of the Future

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo participated in a roundtable discussion with National Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) nationwide and addressed the importance of equity, access to education, and a trained workforce. The event kicked off National Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) Week, a precursor to the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, and was hosted by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). During the roundtable, the Secretary stressed the importance of HSIs in preparing the next generation of leaders for the jobs of the future. In particular, she spoke about the need for HSIs to be part of the workforce in the manufacturing of chips in America. The Secretary emphasized the Biden Administration’s commitment to rebuild our infrastructure, supercharge innovation, combat the climate crisis, and shore up our supply chains. These investments, as outlined in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, are expected to create hundreds of thousands of good jobs that have the potential to change lives, offer family-sustaining benefits, and lead to long-term career pathways.

The Association of NIST Hispanic Americans (ANHA) Presents "Hispanic Americans' Trust in and Engagement with Science"

On October 12th, 2023 from 11am-12pm EST, Mark Hugo Lopez, Director of Race and Ethnicity Research at the Pew Research Center, will present an in-depth study detailing the importance of diverse representation in scientific fields, Hispanic Americans’ views of and experiences with science, including interactions with STEM schooling, engagement with science-related information and their level of trust in scientists and scientific institutions. Lopez leads the Pew Research Center's research agenda focused on chronicling the diverse, ever-changing racial and ethnic landscape of the United States and is an expert on issues of racial and ethnic identity, Latino politics and culture, the U.S. Hispanic and Asian American populations, global and domestic immigration, and the U.S. demographic landscape.

A Message from Deputy Secretary Don Graves

Dear Business Leaders,

As Deputy Secretary of Commerce, I am writing to you and your members to underscore the importance of continuing our collective work toward advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). DEIA initiatives are not just cornerstones of corporate responsibility but are also critical for America's growth, innovation, and economic competitiveness.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently confirmed that “[i]t remains lawful for employers to implement diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programs that seek to ensure workers of all backgrounds are afforded equal opportunity in the workplace.”^[1] Our mission at the Department of Commerce is to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity for all communities. We firmly believe that diversity and inclusion are not just morally right but also strategically smart.

Studies have consistently shown that businesses and institutions with diverse teams make better decisions and contribute substantially to the competitiveness of our nation's businesses. For example, a McKinsey study found that in 2019 companies that were in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity among corporate executives outperformed those in the fourth quartile by 36% in profitability.^[2] Likewise, a Journal of Management Studies article found a positive relationship between board racial diversity and both firm reputation and innovation.^[3] And a Boston Consulting Group study revealed that companies with above-average diversity on their leadership teams reported 19% more innovation revenue than companies with below-average leadership diversity.^[4] These companies reported better overall financial performance as well.^[5]

The implications of these findings are profound. Businesses that prioritize diversity within their leadership ranks are better positioned to adapt to rapidly changing markets, leverage a wider range of perspectives, and capitalize on new opportunities.

Moreover, businesses must respond to the needs of an ever-diversifying U.S. customer base.^[6] The U.S. Census Bureau projects that by 2044, 50.3% of the national population will be people of color.^[7] In today’s marketplace, where customer preferences and demands can vary significantly across different regions and demographics, a diverse workforce is a strategic advantage.

We at the Department of Commerce stand committed to supporting your work in this space. Our mission is to create the conditions for economic growth and opportunity for all communities. The Department has implemented a range of programs in service of this mission. For example, we launched the $500 million Good Jobs Challenge through the Economic Development Administration. These once-in-a-generation investments are designed to expand career opportunities for Americans to reach their full potential and secure good-paying jobs while producing a skilled workforce to ensure the United States is prepared to innovate, compete, and succeed in today’s global economy. We also recently announced the Business Diversity Principles Initiative, which we expect will serve as a tool for businesses to collect and share best practices to embed and operationalize DEIA in their operations.

In closing, I would like to reaffirm the importance of our collective, continued commitment to DEIA initiatives. Not only do diverse teams enhance the competitiveness of U.S. companies, but they also contribute to creating an economy that works for everyone. Together, we can ensure that our nation continues to lead in innovation, growth, and opportunity.

Thank you for your members’ efforts and commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within their organizations.

Sincerely,

Don Graves
Deputy Secretary of Commerce

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