Department of Commerce
Orders where directed actors are tied to Department of Commerce · 52 in Obama · 220 all terms.
Roles directed
Orders
52 shown · Obama
Continuing To Expand Opportunity for All Young People
This memorandum amends a 2014 Obama-era initiative by renaming the 'My Brother's Keeper' program to the 'Task Force on Improving the Lives of Boys and Young Men of Color and Underserved Youth,' expanding its membership to include 23 specified agency heads and officials, adding reporting requirements including annual status reports and biennial reviews, and broadening the scope to explicitly include 'underserved youth' alongside boys and young men of color.
Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Our National Parks, National Forests, and Other Public Lands and Waters
This memorandum directs four land and water management agencies to promote diversity and inclusion both in their federal workforces and in public access to national parks, forests, and other public lands. It mandates specific actions including workforce development programs, unconscious bias training, public liaison identification, and action plans to reduce barriers for minority, low-income, disabled, and tribal populations.
Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience
This executive order establishes the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area to protect marine ecosystems and Alaska Native subsistence communities from climate change impacts. It withdraws specified offshore areas from oil and gas leasing, creates an interagency task force and tribal advisory council, mandates consideration of traditional knowledge in federal decisionmaking, and directs the Coast Guard to develop shipping route protections and update spill response plans.
Advancing the Goals of the Power Africa Initiative to Expand Access to Electricity in Sub- Saharan Africa Through the Establishment of the President's Power Africa Working Group
This executive order establishes a formal interagency structure to advance the Power Africa initiative, which aims to double electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030 through 30,000 MW of new capacity and 60 million new connections. It creates a Coordinator position at USAID and a Power Africa Working Group co-chaired by USAID and the NSC to coordinate across 13 federal agencies. The order also directs agencies to facilitate participation of African private sector companies in energy projects.
Coordinating Efforts To Prepare the Nation for Space Weather Events
This executive order establishes a coordinated federal framework to prepare for and mitigate space weather events such as solar flares and geomagnetic disturbances that threaten critical infrastructure including GPS, satellites, aviation, and the electrical power grid. It assigns specific roles to multiple agencies, creates a new NSTC subcommittee for coordination, and mandates several plans and assessments within 60-180 days to enhance forecasting, infrastructure protection, and emergency response capabilities.
Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument
President Obama designated approximately 4,913 square miles of Atlantic Ocean as the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument under the Antiquities Act, permanently protecting three submarine canyons and four seamounts from commercial extraction, oil and gas development, and most fishing, with limited exceptions for red crab and lobster fishing for 7 years. The proclamation establishes a dual-management structure between Commerce (NOAA) and Interior (FWS) and mandates a joint management plan within 3 years.
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument Expansion
President Obama expanded the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument by approximately 442,781 square miles, making it the world's largest marine protected area at the time. The proclamation prohibits commercial fishing, oil and gas exploration, and mineral extraction in the expanded area while allowing regulated scientific research, Native Hawaiian cultural practices, and non-commercial fishing.
Global Entrepreneurship
This executive order establishes the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE) Program under the Commerce Department to leverage successful entrepreneurs' networks for mentoring and policy advocacy worldwide. It also creates a Global Connect Initiative and interagency Steering Group to expand internet access in developing countries, with reporting requirements through 2020.
Promoting Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Formerly Incarcerated Individuals
This memorandum establishes a Federal Interagency Reentry Council co-chaired by the Attorney General and the White House Domestic Policy Council Director to coordinate federal efforts reducing recidivism and removing barriers to employment, housing, and reintegration for formerly incarcerated individuals. It directs agencies to review hiring and occupational licensing procedures to avoid automatic disqualification based on criminal records, and requires a federal strategic plan within 100 days.
Building National Capabilities for Long-Term Drought Resilience
This memorandum institutionalizes the National Drought Resilience Partnership (NDRP) as an interagency task force to coordinate federal drought resilience efforts. It directs agencies to take specific actions by December 31, 2016, across six goal areas including data integration, drought planning, critical infrastructure risk communication, federal coordination, market-based water approaches, and water efficiency technology. The NDRP is housed at USDA with co-chairs from Agriculture and rotating Commerce leadership, and must produce a charter within 90 days and an initial progress report within 150 days.
Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity
This executive order establishes a 12-member advisory Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity within the Department of Commerce to develop detailed recommendations for strengthening public and private sector cybersecurity over the next decade. The Commission must submit a final report by December 1, 2016, and will terminate within 15 days thereafter unless extended by the President.
White House Cancer Moonshot Task Force
This memorandum establishes the White House Cancer Moonshot Task Force, chaired by the Vice President, to coordinate federal efforts to accelerate cancer research, treatment, and prevention. The Task Force includes heads of 14 executive departments and agencies and is directed to produce findings and recommendations on accelerating research, improving patient care, reducing regulatory barriers, and developing public-private partnerships, with a report due to the President by December 31, 2016.
Preparing for Implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action of July 14, 2015 (JCPOA)
This memorandum directs the Secretaries of State, Treasury, Commerce, and Energy to prepare for implementing U.S. commitments under the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), including sanctions waivers and eventual termination of executive orders, contingent on IAEA verification of Iran's nuclear steps. The actions are conditioned on future confirmation by the Secretary of State, not immediate effect.
Continuance or Reestablishment of Certain Federal Advisory Committees
This executive order continues or reestablishes 40 federal advisory committees until September 30, 2017, transferring FACA compliance responsibilities to designated agency heads and updating administrative oversight for the National Industrial Security Program Policy Advisory Committee.
Creating a National Strategic Computing Initiative
This executive order establishes the National Strategic Computing Initiative (NSCI), a coordinated federal strategy to advance U.S. leadership in high-performance computing (HPC) through 2030. It designates lead agencies (DOE, DOD, NSF), foundational R&D agencies (IARPA, NIST), and deployment agencies to pursue exascale computing, post-semiconductor technologies, and public-private collaboration in HPC research and deployment.
Promoting Private Sector Cybersecurity Information Sharing
This executive order encourages voluntary formation of Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations (ISAOs) to enable private sector cybersecurity information sharing with the federal government. It establishes a standards-setting process for ISAOs, designates DHS's NCCIC as a critical infrastructure protection program, and amends the National Industrial Security Program to facilitate classified information sharing with private sector partners under voluntary agreements.
Expanding Federal Support for Predevelopment Activities for Nonfederal Domestic Infrastructure Assets
This memorandum directs federal agencies to expand support for predevelopment activities—such as planning, feasibility studies, and environmental review—for nonfederal domestic infrastructure projects. It requires specific departments to clarify funding eligibility, develop guidance, and submit implementation plans within 60 days to encourage public-private partnerships and innovative infrastructure investment.
Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument Expansion
President Obama expanded the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument by approximately 308,316 square nautical miles around Jarvis Island, Wake Island, and Johnston Atoll, extending protection to the seaward limit of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. The proclamation prohibits commercial fishing in the expanded area while allowing noncommercial fishing, scientific research, and military activities, and directs the Secretaries of Interior and Commerce to prepare management plans within two years.
Establishing the President's Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa
This executive order creates a 15-member private sector advisory council to counsel the President on expanding U.S.-Africa trade and investment. The council focuses on promoting the Doing Business in Africa Campaign and advising on strategies for American companies to engage with African markets across multiple sectors including infrastructure, agriculture, and services.
Creating and Expanding Ladders of Opportunity for Boys and Young Men of Color
President Obama established the My Brother's Keeper Task Force, an interagency initiative chaired by the Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary with the Deputy Secretary of Education as Executive Director, to improve life outcomes for boys and young men of color through better coordination of federal programs, data sharing, and public-private partnerships. The Task Force is directed to create assessment tools, evaluate federal policy impacts, and report back with recommendations within 90 days and a status report within one year.
Job-Driven Training for Workers
This memorandum directs the Secretaries of Labor, Commerce, and Education to develop within 180 days an action plan to reform federal workforce and training programs to be more "job-driven," emphasizing employer engagement, skills matching, accountability for employment outcomes, and better alignment across education and training systems. The Vice President is tasked with leading a government-wide review of relevant federal programs.
Reserving Certain Submerged Lands in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
President Obama issued a proclamation on January 15, 2014, excepting certain submerged lands around five islands in the Northern Mariana Islands from transfer to the Commonwealth government under Public Law 93-435. The proclamation permanently protects marine national monument lands around three islands and preserves military training areas near two leased islands, with provisions for future conveyance if management agreements are reached.
Continuance Of Certain Federal Advisory Committees
This executive order extends 26 federal advisory committees until September 30, 2015, and makes technical amendments to several prior executive orders governing the National Infrastructure Advisory Council, President's Management Advisory Board, President's Global Development Council, and President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. It also delegates presidential functions under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to designated agency heads.
Expanding National Service Through Partnerships to Advance Government Priorities
This memorandum establishes an interagency Task Force on Expanding National Service, co-chaired by the CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and the Director of the Domestic Policy Council. It directs federal agencies to develop partnerships with CNCS to expand national service and volunteer opportunities aligned with the six focus areas of the Serve America Act, and requires specific reports and guidance within set timeframes.
Combating Wildlife Trafficking
This executive order establishes a Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking co-chaired by the State Department, Interior Department, and Attorney General to develop a national strategy against wildlife trafficking. It also creates an Advisory Council of non-governmental experts to advise the Task Force, with specific deadlines for initial meetings, strategy production, and council establishment.
Expanding America's Leadership in Wireless Innovation
This 2013 memorandum directs federal agencies to accelerate shared access to spectrum bands below 6 GHz, creating a Spectrum Policy Team to oversee implementation. It mandates multiple reports and plans on spectrum sharing technologies, federal test facility access, agency spectrum usage assessments, and procurement efficiency guidelines, while encouraging the FCC to expedite commercial broadband deployment and develop receiver performance standards.
Delegation of Certain Functions and Authorities Under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012
This memorandum delegates specific functions and authorities under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012 (IFCA) and amended provisions of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (CISADA) from the President to various cabinet secretaries and agency heads, primarily the Secretaries of Treasury and State, with detailed consultation requirements for imposing and implementing sanctions against Iran.
Modernizing Federal Infrastructure Review and Permitting Regulations, Policies, and Procedures
This memorandum directs federal agencies to modernize infrastructure permitting and review regulations to cut aggregate timelines for major projects in half while improving environmental and community outcomes. It mandates a 60-day prioritization effort and 120-day comprehensive modernization plan by an interagency steering committee, building on Executive Order 13604 reforms.
Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity
This executive order establishes a voluntary, public-private partnership framework to strengthen cybersecurity protections for U.S. critical infrastructure. It directs federal agencies to improve cyber threat information sharing with private sector entities, mandates development of a Cybersecurity Framework by NIST, creates a voluntary adoption program, and requires identification of the most at-risk critical infrastructure systems.
Establishment of an Interagency Task Force on Commercial Advocacy
This executive order creates an Interagency Task Force on Commercial Advocacy, chaired by the Secretary of Commerce, to coordinate federal support for U.S. businesses competing for international contracts against foreign firms. The Task Force brings together 15 agencies to prioritize advocacy cases, coordinate senior-level engagement with foreign officials, raise business awareness of available services, and report progress every 180 days.
Establishing the White House Homeland Security Partnership Council
This executive order creates the White House Homeland Security Partnership Council and its Steering Committee to institutionalize collaboration between federal field offices and local partners—including state/local/tribal governments, private sector, and nonprofits—to address homeland security challenges ranging from disaster response to terrorism prevention. The Council advises on priorities, promotes best practices, and convenes annually, while the Steering Committee sets its scope, selects members, and reports to the President yearly.
Accelerating Broadband Infrastructure Deployment
This executive order establishes a federal working group and mandates coordinated procedures to accelerate broadband infrastructure deployment on federal lands, buildings, and rights of way, with special attention to tribal lands and underserved communities. It requires agencies to develop uniform contract templates, improve permitting efficiency, and implement 'dig once' policies for highway construction projects.
To Implement the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement and for Other Purposes
This proclamation implements the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement by modifying the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) to establish preferential tariff treatment for Colombian goods, remove Colombia from GSP/ATPA/ATPDEA beneficiary status, and delegate authority to the Secretary of Commerce, CITA, and USTR for trade administration. It also corrects technical errors in prior proclamations related to Oman, NAFTA, and Korea free trade agreements.
Supporting Safe and Responsible Development of Unconventional Domestic Natural Gas Resources
This executive order creates an interagency working group chaired by the Domestic Policy Council Director to coordinate federal agency efforts supporting safe and responsible development of unconventional domestic natural gas resources, such as shale gas. It aims to streamline policy coordination across 13+ agencies while maintaining environmental and public health safeguards.
Improving Performance of Federal Permitting and Review of Infrastructure Projects
This executive order creates a Steering Committee to streamline federal permitting and review processes for infrastructure projects, requiring agencies to develop performance plans with measurable timelines and track progress on a public dashboard. It mandates coordination across federal agencies, state/local/tribal governments, and stakeholders to reduce decision times while maintaining environmental and community protections.
National Defense Resources Preparedness
This executive order delegates authorities under the Defense Production Act of 1950 to various cabinet secretaries for prioritizing and allocating resources (food, energy, health, transportation, water, and other materials) in support of national defense. It establishes frameworks for loan guarantees, industrial base expansion, voluntary agreements, a National Defense Executive Reserve, and labor coordination during emergencies, while revoking and replacing Executive Order 12919 from 1994.
Interagency Working Group on Coordination of Domestic Energy Development and Permitting in Alaska
This executive order establishes an interagency working group led by the Department of the Interior to coordinate federal permitting and environmental review processes for oil and gas development in Alaska, both onshore and offshore. The group brings together deputy-level officials from multiple agencies to streamline decision-making while maintaining health, safety, and environmental standards.
Establishment of the SelectUSA Initiative
This executive order establishes SelectUSA, a Department of Commerce-based initiative to coordinate federal efforts to attract and retain domestic and foreign business investment in the United States. It creates a Federal Interagency Investment Working Group spanning nearly every cabinet department and major economic agency to promote the U.S. as a business location, serve as an investment ombudsman, and provide information to investors.
Establishment of the Intellectual Property Enforcement Advisory Committees
This executive order establishes two interagency advisory committees—the Senior Intellectual Property Enforcement Advisory Committee and the Intellectual Property Enforcement Advisory Committee—to coordinate federal intellectual property enforcement efforts. Both committees are chaired by the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator and are tasked with developing triennial Joint Strategic Plans required under the PRO IP Act of 2008.
Establishing the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force
This executive order creates an intergovernmental task force to coordinate restoration of Gulf Coast ecosystems damaged by the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and address long-term ecological decline. The Task Force includes federal agencies, five Gulf State representatives, and tribal representatives, and is charged with developing a regional restoration strategy within one year.
Establishing a Task Force on Skills for America's Future
This memorandum establishes an interagency Task Force on Skills for America's Future, co-chaired by the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers and two White House policy assistants, to develop recommendations for improving workforce training partnerships between community colleges, businesses, labor unions, and other stakeholders. The Task Force is charged with identifying scalable approaches to career training, stackable credentials, and public-private partnerships, but has no dedicated funding or enforcement authority beyond voluntary agency coordination.
Task Force on Space Industry Workforce and Economic Development
President Obama established an interagency task force co-chaired by the Secretary of Commerce and NASA Administrator to develop an economic development action plan for Florida's Space Coast and other aerospace communities affected by the end of the Space Shuttle program. The task force must submit a comprehensive plan by August 15, 2010, recommending how to invest $40 million in transition assistance funding, and will terminate after 3 years unless extended.
A 21st Century Strategy for America's Great Outdoors
This memorandum establishes the America's Great Outdoors Initiative, led by Interior, Agriculture, EPA, and CEQ, to reconnect Americans—especially children—with nature through community-based conservation, public-private partnerships, and interagency coordination. It mandates listening sessions across the country and requires three reports: an initial strategy report by November 15, 2010, and annual progress reports by September 30, 2011 and 2012.
A Comprehensive Federal Strategy on Carbon Capture and Storage
This memorandum establishes an Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage co-chaired by DOE and EPA to develop a plan within 180 days to overcome barriers to deploying CCS technology. It aims to bring 5-10 commercial demonstration projects online by 2016, with the goal of widespread cost-effective CCS deployment within 10 years.
Increasing Participation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Federal Programs
This executive order establishes a President's Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) housed in the Department of Education and a White House Initiative on AAPIs co-chaired by the Secretaries of Commerce and Education. The order directs federal agencies to develop plans to improve AAPI access to federal programs, increase AAPI federal workforce participation, and advance data collection and research on AAPI subpopulations.
Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance
This executive order mandates federal agencies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy and water efficiency, eliminate waste, and adopt sustainable practices in buildings, fleets, and procurement. It establishes a comprehensive framework with specific reduction targets, reporting requirements, and oversight mechanisms through the Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Management and Budget.
Presidential Determination On the Delegation of Certifications Under Section 1512 of Public Law 105-261
This determination delegates presidential certification functions under Section 1512 of the 1999 NDAA (Public Law 105-261) to the Secretary of Commerce. The Secretary must consult with other executive department and agency heads as appropriate when performing this responsibility.
Continuance of Certain Federal Advisory Committees
This executive order continues 15 federal advisory committees for two years until September 30, 2011, superseding a prior Bush administration order. It also delegates presidential functions under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to the heads of designated departments and agencies.
Chesapeake Bay Protection and Restoration
This executive order establishes a coordinated federal framework to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem. It creates a Federal Leadership Committee led by the EPA, mandates multiple agency reports on pollution control, agricultural practices, climate adaptation, and public access, and requires an annual action plan starting in 2010.
The Endangered Species Act
President Obama directs the Secretaries of Interior and Commerce to review a December 2008 Bush administration regulation that relaxed Endangered Species Act consultation requirements, and requests all agency heads to voluntarily continue pre-2008 consultation practices with FWS and NMFS pending that review. The memorandum does not itself revoke the regulation but uses discretionary language to encourage maintaining stricter interagency consultation.
Establishment of the White House Office of Urban Affairs
This executive order creates the White House Office of Urban Affairs within the Executive Office of the President to coordinate federal urban policy across departments and agencies. The Office is tasked with developing a comprehensive urban policy agenda, ensuring federal spending in urban areas is effective, and engaging with state/local officials and private stakeholders.
White House Task Force on Middle-Class Working Families
President Obama established a White House Task Force on Middle-Class Working Families, chaired by Vice President Biden, to recommend policies on education, work-family balance, labor standards, income protection, and retirement security. The Task Force includes cabinet secretaries and senior White House economic advisors, with annual public reports required starting one year from signing.