The organization
and programs of the Department of Commerce have changed over the years
to reflect new national needs and priorities. The most significant of
these legislative changes are included below:
| 1903 | The
Department of Commerce and Labor was created by the Act of February
14 (32 Stat. 826; 5 U.S.C. 591). |
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| 1905 | The
Bureau of Manufactures was established. |
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| 1906 | The
Bureau of Immigration was changed to the Bureau of Immigration and
Naturalization by the Act of June 29 (34 Stat. 596). |
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| 1913 | The
Department of Labor was created by the Act of March 4 (37 Stat. 737;
5 U.S.C. 616). The designation Department of Commerce and Labor was
changed to the Department of Commerce. |
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| 1915 | The
Bureau of Corporations was merged March 16 with the Federal Trade
Commission. |
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| 1925 | The
Patent Office was transferred from the Department of the Interior
to the Department of Commerce by Executive Order of April 1 in accordance
with the Act of February 14, 1903 (32 Stat. 830). |
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| The
Bureau of Mines was transferred from the Department of Interior to
the Department of Commerce (Executive Order 4239 of June 4). |
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| 1926 | A Federal
policy on commercial aeronautics was established by the Act of May
20 (44 Stat. 568) placing the administration of commercial aeronautics
under the Department of Commerce. The Aeronautics Branch was created
within the Department. |
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| 1927 | Creation
of the Federal Radio commission (which after one year is operation
would have some of its powers transferred to the Department of Commerce)
was provided for by the Act of February 23 (44 Stat. 1162). |
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| The
Radio Division of the Department of Commerce was created February
26 in the Office of the Secretary. |
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| 1931 | The
Federal Employment Stabilization Board was created February 10 to
plan and regulate construction of public works to assist in preventing
unemployment during business depressions. |
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| 1932 | The
Radio Division was abolished and its functions transferred to the
Federal Radio Commission (Executive Order 5892 of July 20). |
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| 1934 | The
Federal Employment Stabilization Board was abolished and the Federal
Employment Stabilization Office established in the Department of Commerce
(Executive Order 6623 of March 23). |
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| Transfer
of the Bureau of Mines to the Department of the Interior was authorized
effective April 23 (Executive Order 6611 of February 22). |
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| The
Aeronautics Branch was renamed the Bureau of Air Commerce July 1. |
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| 1936 | The
Bureau of Air Commerce assumed entire responsibility for air traffic
control July 6. |
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| 1938 | The
Bureau of Air Commerce was transferred August 22 to the Civil Aeronautics
Authority, created under the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 (52 Stat.
973; 49 U.S.C. 401). |
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| 1939 | The
Federal Employment Stabilization Office was abolished by section 4
of Reorganization Plan No. 1 (53 Stat. 1423). |
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| The
Bureau of Lighthouses (Lighthouse Service) was transferred to the
Department of the Treasury by section 2 of Reorganization Plan No.
11 (53 Stat. 1431). This Plan also transferred the Inland Waterways
Corporation to the Department of Commerce (sec.6), the Bureau of Fisheries
to the Department of the Interior (sec. 4E), and the Foreign Commerce
Service to the Department of State (sec. 1). |
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| 1940 | The
Weather Bureau was transferred June 30 from the Department of Agriculture
to the Department of Commerce. The Civil Aeronautics Authority was
transferred from its independent status to the Department of Commerce.
The Authority was comprised of the Administrator of Civil Aeronautics
and the Civil Aeronautics Board. The Board's management functions
only were to be Department responsibilities. These actions were authorized
by sections 7 and 8 of Reorganization Plan IV (54 Stat. 1234). That
part of the Civil Aeronautics Authority under the direction of the
Administrator of Civil Aeronautics was designated as the Civil Aeronautics
Administration. (Department of Commerce Order No. 52 of August 29). |
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| 1942 | The
Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation was transferred to the
Department of the Treasury (Executive Order 9083 of March 1) |
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| 1945 | Reorganization
of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce resulted in the establishment
of the Office of International Trade, Office of Small Business, Office
of Domestic Commerce, Office of Field Operations, and Office of Business
Economics, all within the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce
(Department Order 10 of December 18). |
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| The
Office of Declassification and Technical Services was established
in the Office of the Secretary. |
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| 1946 | The
Office of Declassification and Technical Services was redesignated
as the Office of Technical Services. |
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| 1948 | The
Office of Industry Cooperation was established to administer the voluntary
agreements program pursuant to Public Law 395, 80th Congress (Department
Order 96 of January 22). |
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| 1949 | The
Hoover Commission reported March 1to the Congress its recommendation
on reorganization of the Department of Commerce. |
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| The
Public Roads Administration was transferred August 20 from the Federal
Works Agency to the Department of Commerce by Reorganization Plan
No. 7 (5 U.S.C. 630b). (Department Order 117 of May 24). |
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| The
Office of Transportation and the Transportation Council were established
(Department Order 128 of November). |
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| 1950 | The
Federal Maritime Board was established in the Department of Commerce,
the Maritime Administration created as an agency in the Department,
and the United States Maritime Commission abolished by Reorganization
Plan No. 21 (5 U.S.C. 170) (Department Order 117 of May 24). |
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| 1951 | The
Defense Air Transportation Administration was created pursuant to
Executive Order 10219 of February 28 (Department Order 137 of November
12) |
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| The
Office of Transportation was abolished (Department Order 128, Amended,
Amendment 1 of March 30) and its work thereafter focused directly
in the Office of the Under Secretary for Transportation. |
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| The
Inland Waterways Corporation was sold July 1 to the Federal Barge
Lines, Inc. |
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| Four weaponry divisions and the Corona Laboratories of the National Bureau of Standards were transferred to the Department of Defense pursuant to a memorandum of understanding between the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Defense (18 F.R. 5713, September 23). | ||
| The
Office of Business Economics was established as a primary organization
unit of the Department (Department Order 15, Amended, of December
1). |
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| 1955 | The
Office of International Trade Fairs was established (Department Order
15, Amended, of December 1). |
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| 1956 | Appropriations
for major expansion of the Federal highway system, administered by
the Bureau of Public Roads, were authorized June 29 by the Federal
Highway Act of 1956 (70 Stat. 374) |
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| 1958 | Saint
Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation's operations were placed under
the direction and supervision of the Secretary of Commerce by Executive
Order 10771 of June 20. |
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| The
Civil Aeronautics Administration was abolished December 31 and its
functions and authorities were transferred to the Federal Aviation
Agency by the Federal Aviation Act of 1956 (70 Stat. 374). |
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| 1961 | The
United States Travel Service was established by the International
Travel Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2121-2126). |
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| 1965 | The
Economic Development Administration (EDA) was established under the
Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121).
EDA succeeded the Area Redevelopment Administration which was added
to Commerce in 1961. |
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| The
Coast and Geodetic Survey and the Weather Bureau were consolidated
to form the Environmental Science Services Administration by Reorganization
Plan No. 2 of 1965. |
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| The
Office of State Technical Services was established pursuant to the
State Technical Services Act of 1965 (15 U.S.C. 1351). |
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| 1966 | The
Community Relations Service was transferred from Commerce to the Department
of Justice by Reorganization Plan No. 1, effective April 22, 1966. |
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| Congress
transferred the Office of the Under Secretary for Transportation,
the Bureau of Public Roads, the Great Lakes Pilotage Administration,
and the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation to the newly created
Department of Transportation by the Act of October 15, 1966 (40 U.S.C.
1651). |
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| 1969 | The
Office of Minority Business Enterprise was established by the Secretary
under authority of Executive Order It 458. |
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| The
Office of Telecommunications was established by the Secretary pursuant
to Reorganization Plan No. I of 1970. |
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| The
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was formed
on October 3, 1970 by Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970. NOAA succeeded
the Environmental Science Services Administration which was created
by a reorganization in 1965. |
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| The
National Technical Information Service was established by the Secretary
September 2, 1970, under authority of 15 U.S.C. 115 1. |
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| The
Office of State Technical Services was phased out in June 1970. |
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| 1971 | Executive
Order 11625 expanded the programs and activities of the Office of
Minority Business Enterprise. |
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| 1972 | The
Office of Business Economics was renamed the Bureau of Economic Analysis
because of a reorganization of the Department's principal statistical
agencies. |
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| The
National Fire Prevention and Control Administration was created by
the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2202). |
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| 1977 | Realignment
of some of the bureaus of the Domestic and International Business
Administration resulted in the establishment of the Industry and Trade
Administration by the Secretary. |
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| The
Department of Energy Organization Act approved August 4, 1977 (42
U.S.C. 7131), effective October 1, 1977, pursuant to Executive Order
12009 of September 13, 1977, transferred the Office of Energy Programs
to the Department of Energy. |
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| 1978 | The
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
was established in 1978 in response to Executive Order 12046 of March
27, 1978. Commerce's Office of Telecommunications and the Office of
Telecommunications Policy of the Executive Office of the President
were merged. |
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| 1979 | The
United States Fire Administration (formerly the National Fire Prevention
and Control Administration) became a part of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency in April 1979 pursuant to Reorganization Plan No.
3 of 1978 and Executive Order 12148, effective July 15, 1979. |
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| The
name of the Office of Minority Business Enterprise was changed to
the Minority Business Development Agency by Department Order 25-4A. |
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| 1980 | The
International Trade Administration was established on January 2, 1980,
by the Secretary. |
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| 1981 | The
United States Travel and Tourism Administration was established by
the National Tourism Policy Act of 1981 (22 U.S.C. 2121). |
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| The
Maritime Act of 1981 (46 U.S.C. 1601) transferred the Maritime Administration
to the Department of Transportation, effective August 6, 1981. |
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| 1982 | The
Office of Productivity, Technology and Innovation was established
pursuant to the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C.
3704). |
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| 1987 | The
United States Export Administration was created pursuant to the Export
Administration Amendments of 1985, which transferred the export licensing
and export enforcement functions of the Commerce Department from the
International Trade Administration to the Export Administration. The
Act established an effective date of October 1, 1986, which was later
extended to October 1, 1987. January 1988 the name was changed to
the Bureau of Export Administration. |
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| 1988 | The
Technology Administration was established to promote the Nation's
economic competitiveness (15 U.S.C. 3704). |
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