About Our Office

Responsibilities of the Office

The Legislative Division works with various bureaus to develop the Department's legislative initiatives and is the focal point within the Department for coordinating the analysis of legislation and developing and articulating the views of the Department on pending legislation. This office is the principal legal liaison with the Office of Management and Budget, working to obtain required clearances and interagency consensus on Departmental letters, reports, testimonies, and legislative proposals for delivery to the Congress. The office also represents the Department's views in interagency deliberations on legislative proposals and expressions of legislative views advanced by other agencies.

The Regulatory Division serves as the primary contact for all regulatory matters concerning the Department of Commerce. This office advises the diverse bureaus within Commerce on administrative law requirements and procedures involved in the rulemaking process, and provides legal counsel on other related laws and Executive Orders. It also serves as the Department's liaison with the Office of Management and Budget and other Federal agencies during interagency review and clearance of regulations issued by the Department, and provides Secretarial-level clearance for all Federal Register publications. In addition, this office advises the Secretary on regulatory matters, develops the Department's regulatory policies and procedures, and provides the Department's official position on regulations affecting the Department.

Attorneys

Beth Van Hanswyk, Acting Assistant General Counsel for Legislation and Regulations 

Legislation

Joe Bartels - Economic Development Administration; Minority Business Development Agency

Merideth Bentley - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (non-living resources); Administration;

Kelly Brown  - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (living marine resources)

Jennifer Lucas - U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; National Telecommunications and Information Administration (co-lead with Marcela Villalta Scott)

Tom Moritz - National Institute of Standards and Technology; Economics and Statistics Administration; Office of the Chief Information Officer; Economic Policy; Administrative Services

Marcela Villalta Scott - U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; National Telecommunications and Information Administration (co-lead Jennifer Lucas)

Beth Van Hanswyk- International Trade Administration; Bureau of Industry and Security; Appropropriations

Regulations

Asha Mathew - Chief Counsel for Regulation

Joe Bartels - All Commerce Regulations

Merideth Bentley - All Commerce Regulations

Tricia Choe - All Commerce Regulations

Pete Robbins - All Commerce Regulations

Jeremy Schiffer - All Commerce Regulations

The attorneys gratefully acknowledge the support of the following individuals: 

Support Staff
Lois Oliff -- Administrative Specialist
Debbee Collins -- Administrative Support Assistant
Linda Datcher -- Paralegal (Regulations)
Stephanie Pavlik -- Paralegal(Legislation)