Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is a subdivision of the Department of Commerce responsible for advancing US national security, foreign policy, and economic objectives by ensuring an effective export control and treaty compliance system. The agency controls which sensitive goods and technologies can be sold or shared abroad. It makes sure companies follow international arms control rules and works to stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction. It was established in it's current form in 2002. Prior to then, it was known as the Bureau of Export Administration.

In FY 2024,

$333M

was spent by the Bureau of Industry and Security
In FY 2024,

2.2%

of Dept. of Commerce spending was by the Bureau of Industry and Security

How much does the Bureau of Industry and Security spend?

The Bureau of Industry and Security spent a net total of $332.8 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 2.2% of the $14.8 billion spent by the Department of Commerce, which itself was 0.2% of all federal spending. The BIS ranked 7th among DOC subdivisions in net spending.
Net spending is the difference between agency spending and any financial accounts generating funds from the agency’s own activities, like fees or rent. When these funds offset all spending, net spending appears negative. Some agencies tend to operate with positive net spending while others will register negative net spending sometimes or often.

The Bureau of Industry and Security ranked 7th among Department of Commerce divisions in net spending in 2024.

DOC net spending by division, FY 2024

Like the overall federal budget, agency spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Bureau of Industry and Security’s federal spending has increased from $71.6 million in 1988 to $332.8 million in 2024.

The Bureau of Industry and Security’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1988.

Yearly federal net spending by BIS, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1988–2024

Since 1988, the Bureau of Industry and Security's spending has increased 364.6%, while overall spending has increased 138.1%.
As a percentage of the overall federal budget, a positive number means agency net spending made up some positive share of total federal spending; a negative number means that net generated funds offset a portion of total spending. BIS spending grew more than overall federal spending since 1988, which means that its share of the federal budget increased. In 2024, BIS accounted for 0.0049% of overall federal spending.

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Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Bureau of Industry and Security’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1988.

Net spending by BIS as a share of federal spending, FYs 1988–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.
In FY 2024, all of the Bureau of Industry and Security's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net BIS spending.

How did the Bureau of Industry and Security spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to BIS, FY 2024

How many people work for the Bureau of Industry and Security?

Some 527 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Bureau of Industry and Security as of September 2024. This is 56.4% more people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Bureau of Industry and Security has increased 56.4% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for BIS, September 2010–2024

The Bureau of Industry and Security accounts for 0.023% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. The division constituted a larger share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 compared to 2010 (0.016%).
While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the Bureau of Industry and Security's share of the workforce (0.023%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.0049%).

Who leads the Bureau of Industry and Security?

The BIS is led by an Under Secretary. This individual is nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. The Under Secretary reports to the Secretary of Commerce. There is no fixed term for this position.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

  • Office of Personnel Management

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  • Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury

    Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement

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