WASHINGTON – Acting U.S. Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank issued the following statement today on the release of the October 2012 U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services (PDF) by the Commerce Department’s Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis. In October 2012, imports of goods and services declined 2.1 percent from September to reach $222.8 billion, and exports of goods and services reached $180.5 billion, down 3.6 percent over this period. As a result, the October 2012 international trade deficit increased to $42.2 billion from September, which was better than market expectations.

New York, NY, Tuesday, March 29, 2011 - Commerce Department Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Rebecca M. Blank attended the dedication for the new United States’ United Nations Mission building in honor of the late U. S. Commerce Department Secretary Ronald H. Brown. Former Secretary Brown lost his life while on a trade mission to Croatia 15 years ago.

WASHINGTON, DC -- The U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis today released data on personal income and outlays for February 2011. Personal income increased 0.3 percent in February, nearly consistent with private-sector forecasts of a 0.4-percent increase. Wages and salaries rose a favorable 0.3 percent. Real consumer spending also increased 0.3 percent in February and has risen a moderate 1.0 percent at an annual rate above its fourth-quarter average. Additionally, personal income figures for both December and January were revised upward.

Washington, D.C., March 4, 2011 - Acting Deputy Secretary Rebecca Blank joined Tina Tchen, executive director of the White House Council on Women and Girls; Preeta Bansal, senior policy advisor and general counsel of the Office of Management and Budget; and a panel of experts at the Center for American Progress today to discuss the findings of a new White House report, “Women in America: Indicators of Social and Economic Well-Being.” The discussion focused on women’s present role in families, education, employment, health, and crime in American Society.