Commerce’s Economics and Statistics Administration Releases Third and Final STEM Report

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank unveiled findings from the Economics and Statistics Administration’s (ESA) third and final report on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) jobs and education today at a Brookings Institution forum on advancing STEM education in the United States. Education Supports Racial and Ethnic Equality in STEM analyzes the demographic composition and educational background of STEM workers, looking at representation disparities within these critical fields that promote U.S. innovation and economic competitiveness.

education_supports_racial_and_ethnic_equality_in_stem.pdf

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank issued the following statement today on the release of the July 2011 U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services report by the Commerce Department’s U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Today’s report showed that U.S. exports of goods and services in July increased 3.6 percent from June to $178.0 billion. The value of exports in July, as well as the individual export values for goods and services, was the highest on record. Exports of capital goods ($42.1 billion) and exports to South and Central America were also the highest on record in July ($14.7 billion). U.S. imports of goods and services decreased 0.2 percent over this period to $222.8 billion, causing the U.S.

In the heart of South Carolina’s picturesque horse community, I sat down at the Aiken County Chamber of Commerce to begin the first of two White House Business Council roundtable discussions with local business owners in Aiken and Columbia, S.C.  These discussions, focused on rural communities during the month of August, are designed to provide an intimate forum for local businesses to discuss the obstacles they face in creating jobs and growing their businesses. 

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis today released data on personal income and outlays for July 2011. Personal income rose 0.3 percent in July, slightly below private-sector forecasts of a 0.4-percent increase, though personal income in both May and June was revised upward. Wages and salaries, the largest component of income, rose 0.4 percent. Real consumer spending jumped 0.5 percent, consistent with expectations, representing the largest monthly increase in real consumer spending since August 2009. Spending was boosted by consumer purchases of motor vehicles and higher home electricity costs due to warmer weather.

WASHINGTON – The Commerce Department’s U.S. Census Bureau today released data on new residential construction for July 2011. Permits for new housing units fell 3.2 percent following a small increase in June. Private-sector analysts had expected a 1.8-percent decline. The decrease was driven by multi-family homes with five or more units. Permits for single-family homes and those with two-to-four units both increased. Housing starts declined 1.5 percent in July after a large increase in June. Private-sector analysts had expected a 4.6-percent decrease.