May 9, 2014
This week, we celebrated the many great public
servants here at Commerce as part of Public Service Recognition Week. The
Secretary greeted Commerce employees as they arrived at work, visited with
others in the cafeteria, and sat down with another group for coffee – to
express her appreciation for their work Also this week, the White House, with support
from NOAA, released the Third National Climate Assessment, the authoritative
and comprehensive report on climate change and its impacts in the United
States. If you have a chance, it is a
great read. And elsewhere around Commerce, EDA is helping with job training in
rural Alaska, Census informed us about the increase in cycling to work, and
NIST awarded grants to support innovative manufacturing. I personally want to
express a very heartfelt thank you to all of you who are in public service, for
all of the great work you do for our country. - Bruce
Commerce
Department Recognizes Employees’ Service - This week marks Public Service
Recognition Week – an opportunity to honor the men and women who serve our
nation as federal, state, county and local government employees. The Commerce
Department has employees working in all 50 states and around the globe focused
on strengthening our economy. Commerce employees, and the work of our 12
bureaus, touches the daily lives of the American people in many ways, with a
wide range of services in the areas of trade and investment, economic
development, innovation, entrepreneurship, environmental stewardship, and
statistical research analysis. From the National Weather Service weather
forecasts, to the Census Bureau’s decennial census statistics, Commerce
employees help improve everyday life.
National
Climate Assessment Underscores Urgent Need for Americans and Our Businesses to
Prepare for Climate Change in the United States - As part of its overall
efforts to provide scientific information about climate change, the Obama
Administration released the third U.S. National Climate Assessment. This report
– a key deliverable of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan – is a
comprehensive, authoritative scientific assessment about climate changes that
are happening now in the U.S. and further changes that we can expect to see
throughout this century. The report communicates the impacts of climate change
according to geographic region of the U.S., and by economic and societal
sector—including agriculture, energy, and health. These tailored findings help
translate scientific insights into practical, useable knowledge that can help decision-makers
and citizens anticipate and prepare for specific climate-change impacts.
Taking
Action to Attract the World’s Top Talented Professionals - The Obama
Administration announced new steps to make it easier for highly skilled workers
and talented researchers from other countries to contribute to our economy and
ultimately become Americans. These measures are part of administrative reforms
first announced in 2012, and reflect the commitment to attracting and retaining
highly-skilled immigrants, continuing our economic recovery, and encouraging
job creation. Specifically, the Department of Homeland Security published a
proposed rule that would—for the first time—allow work authorization for the
spouses of H-1B workers who have begun the process of applying for a green card
through their employers.
Commerce
and the Department of Homeland Security: A new partnership built on shared
principles - Secretary Pritzker writes about how DHS and Commerce are key
partners in the Administration’s economic growth agenda. During recent
meetings, she and Secretary Johnson have recommitted themselves to personally
overseeing progress in a variety of initiatives that are priorities of both
Departments.
Who
Bikes to Work in America? - Although changes in rates of bicycle commuting
vary across U.S. communities, many cities have experienced relatively large
increases in bicycle commuting in recent years. The total number of bike
commuters in the U.S. increased from about 488,000 in 2000 to about 786,000 during
the period from 2008 to 2012, a larger percentage increase than that of any
other commuting mode.
Your
boat is ready? Don’t forget your nautical chart - Ah, the boat is ready,
the safety vests are stowed on board, the sky is blue, and the water beckons…
But hold on a sec, sailor! Where is your nautical chart? Resolve to get your nautical
chart this year. Advancements in Coast Survey’s digital processes now allow NOAA
to review and update charts weekly, and get them to boaters’ fingertips faster
− and with less expense − than was possible years ago.
U.S.
Population Will Get Older but Remain Younger than Most Developed Countries
- Between 2012 and 2050, the share of the world’s population age 65 and over is
projected to double from 8 percent in 2012 to 16.7 percent in 2050. Although
the United States is also projected to age over this period, it will remain one
of the youngest developed countries, with 20.9 percent of its population 65 and
over in 2050.
U.S.
Economic Development Administration: Supporting Workforce Development in Rural
Alaska - Angela Belden Martinez, Director of External Affairs for the
Economic Development Administration, and Aaron Trujillo, the Commerce
Department’s Acting Senior Advisor on Native American Affairs, welcomed some
very special guests from the Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP)
of Bethel, Alaska. During the meeting with AVCP Vice President Michael Hoffman
and AVCP General Counsel Carol Brown, were informed that AVCP was receiving a
U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) investment to support workforce
development in rural Alaska.
New
Case Studies Show Schools, Libraries, and Health Care Providers Play Key Role
in Broadband Expansion and Adoption - In 2010, as part of the Broadband
Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), NTIA awarded more than $450 million in
matching grants to establish or upgrade public computer centers and initiate
innovative broadband adoption programs in underserved communities. Four years
later, that investment has resulted in more than 3,000 new or improved public
computer centers and produced 600,000 new household broadband subscriptions.
These grants complement the $3.4 billion in infrastructure investments from
NTIA that have enabled BTOP grant recipients to connect more than 21,000
community anchor institutions with ultra-fast broadband, including 2,400
medical and health care providers, more than 1,300 libraries, and 8,000 K-12
schools.
Commerce
in the Community: Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren on Public Service and Expanding
Opportunity in Her City - Read an interview with Rochester Mayor Lovely
Warren. A Rochester native, Mayor Warren served as President of the Rochester
City Council prior to the start of her first term as Mayor in 2014. This
interview is part of the Commerce Department’s participation in Public Service
Recognition Week.
Partnering
to Continue U.S. Export Growth in China - The International Trade
Administration (ITA) signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the American Chamber
of Commerce—Shanghai. The teams will cooperate on initiatives to help American
businesses succeed in East China, one of the hubs of the country’s growing
economy. They will share resources to help American companies find the most
qualified partners in the region and make sure that U.S. business leaders know
about every important opportunity to do business here. Both organizations will
work together to support Chinese investors looking for investment opportunities
in the United States.
A
Bird’s Eye View: Looking for Oil Spills from the Sky - Aerial overflights
are surveys from airplanes or helicopters which help responders find oil slicks
as they move and break up across a potentially wide expanse of water. Oceanographers
make predictions about where a spill might go, but each spill presents a unique
combination of weather conditions, ocean currents, and even oil chemistry that
adds uncertainty due to natural variability.
NIST
Awards $9 Million in Grants for Advanced Manufacturing Technology Planning
- The Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) awarded 19 advanced manufacturing technology planning grants totaling $9
million to new or existing industry-driven consortia to develop technology
roadmaps aimed at strengthening U.S. manufacturing and innovation performance
across industries.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) announced
that they had restored
local economic statistics that were eliminated due to 2013 budget sequester
and the
March 2014 trade gap was $40.4 billion on their blog this week. They also
explained how restructured
international accounts will offer a more detailed look at U.S. Trade and
Investment.
The March
2014 international trade deficit decreased 3.6 percent from February, to
$40.4 billion. Exports increased 2.1 percent, to $193.9 billion, and imports
rose 1.1 percent, to $234.3 billion.
March
2014 wholesale inventories were $525.2 billion, up 1.1 percent from the
revised February level and up 5.9 percent from March 2013. Sales were $443.4
billion, up 1.4 percent from the revised February level and up 6.5 percent from
March 2013.
Commerce Data in the News: USA Today cites the Census
Bureau’s new biking and walking report, which is based on American Community
Survey data and the first of its kind, to report about the increase in bicycle
commuting in Biking to Work Increases 60% in the Last
Decade.
FiveThirtyEight
uses Census Bureau national age projections to report that every month more
than a quarter-million Americans turn 65. That’s a trend with profound economic
consequences, as noted in What
Baby Boomers’ Retirement Means For the U.S. Economy.
The BEA
data on the metro-area GDP growth are mentioned a recent article on The
New Yorker: The
Fracking Boom and the Fall of a Texas Utility.
This week’s BEA
and Census release of international trade data for March was covered by the
Wall Street Journal: Trade
Data Indicate Economy Contracted.
The Associated
Press followed Census Bureau Director John Thompson on his trip to the
Peace Garden State to see firsthand the big increases in population and economy
in Census
Director Tours Booming North Dakota.
The Reuters
News Agency cites two Census Bureau reports on baby boomers and the 65+
population and their upcoming effect on the population and economy in Number
of U.S. Elderly to Double by 2050: Reports.
Data Releases Next Week: Advance Monthly Retail Sales:
April (Census); Manufacturing and Trade - Inventories and Sales: March
(Census); New Residential Construction: April (Census)
On Monday, NOAA National Hurricane Center
Director Dr. Rick Knabb will moderate a panel on disaster preparedness entitled
“Hurricanes: An Urban Perspective” at the Preparedness Panel at American Red
Cross Exhibit, in Washington, D.C.
On Tuesday, Secretary Pritzker will describe the
Administration’s vision for the next phase of the National Export Initiative,
following through on a key commitment of the Commerce Department’s ‘Open for Business
Agenda,’ which was unveiled last November. The speech will be followed by a
one-on-one conversation moderated by The Atlantic’s Editor-at-Large, Steve
Clemons at the Atlantic Media Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Also on Tuesday, EDA Deputy Assistant Secretary
Matt Erskine will participate in a media event with Governor Beebe to announce
a $1.5 million EDA grant to the city of North Little Rock, Arkansas. The grant
will help provide critical infrastructure including generators and related
equipment for the city. The new facility, which is pursuing LEED gold
certification, will retain 269 existing jobs, create 85 new jobs, and generate
$60 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates.
On Thursday, NIST Associate Director for
Innovation and Industry Services Phil Singerman will present TEDCO’s 2014
Vanguard award to Eugene Deloatch during TEDCO’s Fourth Annual ICE Awards. The
awards program, which recognizes Innovation, Corporate Excellence, and
Entrepreneurship, rewards outstanding businesses and individuals from more than
300 seed and early-stage companies.
Secretary Pritzker
visited with Commerce employees in the cafeteria during Public Service
Recognition Week.
For Public Service Recognition Week 2014, several
of our Commerce employees talk about what public service means to them.
Bicycling
to Work - Pedaling to work is a growing trend in many big cities across the
country. The Census Bureau has a graphic that lists 15 large cities with the
highest percentage increase in bicycle commuters over the past decade.
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