Department of Commerce

The FY09 enacted budget provides $9.3 billion for the Department of Commerce, up $1.6 billion over FY08. Much of this additional funding will support the 2010 U.S. Census and not TBED-related and research activities.

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) FY09 allocation is $272.8 million. This is about $7 million less than the enacted amount in FY08 for salaries, expenses and programs, though EDA also received an additional $500 million in FY08 emergency appropriations. EDA oversees programs to generate jobs, help retain existing jobs, and stimulate industrial and commercial growth in economically distressed areas of the United States. EDA assistance is available to rural and urban areas of the Nation experiencing high unemployment, low income, or other severe economic distress. Individual spending allocations at EDA include:

• Public Works - $133.3 million to help local communities and industries deal with increased economic pressures and dislocations in a rapidly-changing economy;
• Economic Adjustment Assistance - $35.3 million to provide a wide range of technical, planning and infrastructure assistance in regions experiencing adverse economic changes that may occur suddenly or over time;
• Planning - $31 million, including $3.7 million to provide additional planning resources to the existing network of 370 Economic Development Districts and $300,000 to reduce the backlog of designated-but-unfunded districts;
• Trade Adjustment Assistance - $15.8 million to help manufacturing and production firms, which have lost domestic sales and employment due to increased imports of similar or competitive goods, become more competitive in the global economy;
• Global Climate Change Mitigation Initiative - $14.7 million to prepare a report and provide grants to align economic development and climate change initiatives;
• Technical Assistance - $9.4 million to help fill the knowledge and information gaps that may prevent leaders in the public and nonprofit sectors in economically distressed regions from making optimal decisions on local economic development issues; and,
• Research and Evaluation - $490,000 to prepare reports and best practice guides.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve quality of life. NIST is allocated $819 million for FY09, a $63.2 million increase over FY08.

NIST's industrial technology services, which include much of its TBED-related investments, received $175 million, up $20.2 million over FY08. Programs within this allocation are:

• NIST Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) - $110 million to assist small manufacturing establishments in assimilating new technologies and manufacturing practices through government -industry partnerships and extension services; and,
• Technology Innovation Program (TIP) - $65 million for cost-shared research grants, cooperative agreements or contracts awarded on the basis of merit competitions to support, promote, and accelerate innovation in the United States through high-risk, high-reward research in areas of critical national need.

NIST's scientific and technical core programs were appropriated $472 million, including $8.5 million for the Baldrige National Quality Program. The program administers the Baldrige National Quality Award, which recognizes U.S. organizations for their achievements in quality and performance and raises awareness about the importance of quality and performance excellence as a competitive edge. NIST is directed to devote resources to its Measurement and Standards for Climate Change program and its Office of Law Enforcement Standards, as well as printed electronics research.

The bill also includes $172 million for the construction of research facilities through NIST, including $30 million for competitive research building construction grants.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) received $4.4 billion in FY09 of which $3 billion supports operations, research and facilities, which includes most of NOAA's research activities. These activities include:

• National Marine Fisheries Service - $753.5 million for research in the variables affecting the abundance and variety of marine fisheries;
• National Ocean Service - $497 million to support coastal science and estuarine research reserves of national significance;
• Tides and Current Data - $31.1 million to support existing operations and the maintenance of the Physical Oceanographic Real-Time Systems;
• Coral Reef Program - $28.9 million to support effective management and sound science to preserve, sustain and restore valuable coral reef ecosystems;
• Integrated Ocean Observing System - $26.5 million for administering and awarding a competitive, regional ocean observing systems solicitation;
• National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Science - $15.8 million to fund externally based research related to HABs, Hypoxia and Regional Ecosystems; and,
• Regional Geospatial Modeling grants - $7 million to continue funding the competitive program for researchers and resource managers to develop models or geographic information systems using existing geodetic, coastal remote sensing data, terrestrial gravity measurements or other physical datasets.

The National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA) received $39.2 million for FY09. NTIA is the executive branch agency principally responsible for advising the president on telecommunications and information policies. Of the FY09 funding, $20 million is reserved for public telecommunications facilities, planning and construction. Former President Bush's budget request had proposed terminations of the public telecommunications program.

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is funded at $29.8 million for FY09. MBDA works with minority entrepreneurs who wish to grow their businesses in size, scale and capacity.  The Economic and Statistics Administration, which includes the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), received $90.6 million for FY09. The agency provides broad and targeted economic data, analyses and forecasts for use by Government agencies, businesses and others, as well as develops domestic and international economic policy.

The budget of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will be offset entirely through fee collection. USPTO receives $2 million in the budget but is expected to collect $2.1 million in fees.