Transition Series

Commerce Issues Gao ID: OCG-89-11TR November 1, 1988

GAO summarized problems facing the Department of Commerce and provided possible solutions.

GAO found that: (1) the International Trade Administration inadequately plans and executes its overseas trade promotion activities; (2) Commerce inadequately oversees and administers the export control system for civilian products with military applications; (3) the Bureau of the Census faces high census costs and staffing shortages; and (4) Commerce inadequately supervises the Patent and Trademark Office's development of a new automated patent system. GAO also found that Commerce will need to: (1) improve its export promotion activities; and (2) address planning and decisionmaking problems associated with the decennial census.



The Justia Government Accountability Office site republishes public reports retrieved from the U.S. GAO These reports should not be considered official, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Justia.