Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo Highlights Key 2023 Department Accomplishments

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo Highlights Key 2023 Department Accomplishments
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Fri, 12/29/2023 – 13:01

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Friday, December 29, 2023

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Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo issued the following statement highlighting key accomplishments at the Department of Commerce during 2023. 

“It has been an honor to work alongside the dedicated civil servants at the Department of Commerce in pursuit of our mission to improve America’s competitiveness so that our workers and companies can succeed in the global economy. Thanks to President Biden’s leadership and his Investing in America agenda, Commerce is investing an unprecedented number of resources in broadband, manufacturing, economic development, workforce training, supply chains, and climate readiness.

“In 2023, our focus was on implementing the transformative initiatives funded by the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act. We have made major strides in our efforts to revitalize our nation’s semiconductor industry, bring affordable, high-speed internet to every American, rebuild communities that have been left behind, and empower America’s workforce with the tools and training they need to thrive in the modern economy.

“I am excited about what’s to come in 2024. We have made significant progress, but there is more work to do to ensure we make the transformational changes needed to power America in the 21st century.”

Key Commerce accomplishments during 2023 include:

The CHIPS for America program launched two funding opportunities for manufacturing incentives, released national security guardrails and a vision for the National Semiconductor Technology Center, and garnered more than 550 statements of interest from companies around the country. In December, the CHIPS program moved into the next phase of implementation with the first announcement of a preliminary memorandum of terms to provide incentives for a key national security project in Nashua, New Hampshire.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded more than $1.3 billion in grants to close the digital divide in communities across the country, including tribal communities, and announced Internet for All funding allocations for every state and territory, taking the next step towards delivering affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service to everyone in America. NTIA also released the National Spectrum Strategy, identifying more than 2,700 megahertz of airwaves to study for innovative new uses. Additionally, NTIA began awarding funding for the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund, which supports the development of open and interoperable wireless networks.
The Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced the designation of 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) to supercharge local economies and transform regions into globally competitive innovation centers. These Tech Hubs designations will strengthen each region’s capacity to manufacture, commercialize, and deploy technologies that will advance American competitiveness. EDA also announced the 22 finalists of the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete). Recompete targets the hardest-hit and most economically distressed areas where prime-age employment is significantly lower than the national average, with the goal to close this gap through flexible, locally-driven investments.
Alongside our Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) partners, Secretary Raimondo in November announced the substantial conclusion of the Clean Economy and Fair Economy IPEF Pillars, as well as the signing of the landmark Supply Chain Agreement. These agreements are key to addressing 21st century challenges and strengthening economic engagement in the region.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded $1.1 billion in grant and contract projects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, which will boost coastal and climate resilience, improve fisheries and restore habitats, and upgrade key infrastructure.
The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) announced the 43 winners of the Capital Readiness Program grant competition, the largest investment to support minority and underserved businesses in Commerce’s history.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) took on a leading role in ensuring that we have responsible and trustworthy use of AI, including through the release of the AI Risk Management Framework (RMF). NIST also released a draft update to its popular and widely used Cybersecurity Framework, following a yearlong process with extensive community input. NIST will play a significant role in implementing the President’s AI Executive Order, including through the establishment of the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (USAISI). The institute, housed under NIST, will lead the U.S. government’s efforts on AI safety and trust, particularly for evaluating the most advanced AI models.
The 2023 SelectUSA Investment Summit was the largest in its history, with 4,900 attendees spanning 83 international markets. In FY23, SelectUSA facilitated more than $55 billion in client-verified investments supporting more than 35,000 jobs.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office launched a new Semiconductor Technology Pilot Program to advance out of turn patent applications for innovations in semiconductor manufacturing, a Climate Change Mitigation Pilot Program to advance applications related to technologies that will help achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, and a Cancer Moonshot Pilot Program to advance applications for cancer-related technologies.
Trade specialists at the International Trade Administration (ITA) assisted more than 92,000 U.S. business clients explore global markets for exporting in FY23, facilitating more than $170 billion in U.S. export revenue and inward investment, which supported 595,000 American jobs.
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) released a number of consequential rules imposing further restrictions on Russia for its illegal war against Ukraine, updated export controls on advanced computing semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment to arms embargoed countries, including the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and added a total of 466 entities based in a variety of countries around the globe to the Entity List. BIS completed an authoritative survey of the U.S. microelectronics supply chain, and announced the launch of a new survey to inform future policy responses to PRC anti-competitive practices. BIS also launched the Disruptive Technology Strike Force with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to protect U.S. advanced technologies from illegal acquisition and use by nation-state adversaries like Russia, China, and Iran, and strengthened enforcement policies and partnerships to help keep the most critical U.S. technology out of the most dangerous hands.

Bureaus and Offices

Bureau of Industry and Security
Economic Development Administration
Minority Business Development Agency
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Tags

CHIPS for America
Internet for All Initiative
Broadband
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
SelectUSA Investment Summit
Ukraine
China

Read the full report from the U.S. Department of Commerce: Read More