Which agency is part of the Department of Commerce?

• A. Patent & Trademark Office
• B. The United States Travel & Tourism Administration
• C. Economic Development Administration
• D. Bureau of the Census

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is recognizing which agency handles the country’s official statistics and population data and sits under the Department of Commerce. The Census Bureau is the federal agency responsible for the decennial census and a wide range of demographic and economic data that inform policy, funding, and business decisions. That data focus fits the Commerce Department’s mission of promoting economic growth and informed governance, which is why the Census Bureau is the agency most clearly housed within the Department of Commerce.

The other options are not current, straightforward examples of a single, defining DOC agency in the same way. For example, a travel administration as a distinct, active agency has not been a standard part of the department in recent structure, so it isn’t the best fit for identifying a DOC component.