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Department of Commerce

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Milestones

NOTICE TO VISITOR:
THIS IS AN ARCHIVED SITE

This site contains information released online prior to January 20, 2009.

Click HERE to go the CURRENT commerce.gov website.
Information released from January 20, 2009 to present.

Please note: The content in this archive site is not updated and external links may not function.

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).

1905 The Bureau of Manufactures was established.

1906 The Bureau of Immigration was changed to the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization by the Act of June 29 (34 Stat. 596).

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.

1915 The Bureau of Corporations was merged March 16 with the Federal Trade Commission.

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).

The Bureau of Mines was transferred from the Department of Interior to the Department of Commerce (Executive Order 4239 of June 4).

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.

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).

The Radio Division of the Department of Commerce was created February 26 in the Office of the Secretary.

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.

1932 The Radio Division was abolished and its functions transferred to the Federal Radio Commission (Executive Order 5892 of July 20).

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).

Transfer of the Bureau of Mines to the Department of the Interior was authorized effective April 23 (Executive Order 6611 of February 22).

The Aeronautics Branch was renamed the Bureau of Air Commerce July 1.

1936 The Bureau of Air Commerce assumed entire responsibility for air traffic control July 6.

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).

1939 The Federal Employment Stabilization Office was abolished by section 4 of Reorganization Plan No. 1 (53 Stat. 1423).

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).

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).

1942 The Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation was transferred to the Department of the Treasury (Executive Order 9083 of March 1)

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).

The Office of Declassification and Technical Services was established in the Office of the Secretary.

1946 The Office of Declassification and Technical Services was redesignated as the Office of Technical Services.

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).

1949 The Hoover Commission reported March 1to the Congress its recommendation on reorganization of the Department of Commerce.

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).

The Office of Transportation and the Transportation Council were established (Department Order 128 of November).

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).

1951 The Defense Air Transportation Administration was created pursuant to Executive Order 10219 of February 28 (Department Order 137 of November 12)

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.

The Inland Waterways Corporation was sold July 1 to the Federal Barge Lines, Inc.

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).

1955 The Office of International Trade Fairs was established (Department Order 15, Amended, of December 1).

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)

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.

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).

1961 The United States Travel Service was established by the International Travel Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2121-2126).

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.

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.

The Office of State Technical Services was established pursuant to the State Technical Services Act of 1965 (15 U.S.C. 1351).

1966 The Community Relations Service was transferred from Commerce to the Department of Justice by Reorganization Plan No. 1, effective April 22, 1966.

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).

1969 The Office of Minority Business Enterprise was established by the Secretary under authority of Executive Order It 458.

The Office of Telecommunications was established by the Secretary pursuant to Reorganization Plan No. I of 1970.

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.

The National Technical Information Service was established by the Secretary September 2, 1970, under authority of 15 U.S.C. 115 1.

The Office of State Technical Services was phased out in June 1970.

1971 Executive Order 11625 expanded the programs and activities of the Office of Minority Business Enterprise.

1972 The Office of Business Economics was renamed the Bureau of Economic Analysis because of a reorganization of the Department's principal statistical agencies.

The National Fire Prevention and Control Administration was created by the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2202).

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.

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.

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.

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.

The name of the Office of Minority Business Enterprise was changed to the Minority Business Development Agency by Department Order 25-4A.

1980 The International Trade Administration was established on January 2, 1980, by the Secretary.

1981 The United States Travel and Tourism Administration was established by the National Tourism Policy Act of 1981 (22 U.S.C. 2121).

The Maritime Act of 1981 (46 U.S.C. 1601) transferred the Maritime Administration to the Department of Transportation, effective August 6, 1981.

1982 The Office of Productivity, Technology and Innovation was established pursuant to the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3704).

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.

1988 The Technology Administration was established to promote the Nation's economic competitiveness (15 U.S.C. 3704).