Partnership for Public Service statement on the confirmation of Howard Lutnick as secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce 

February 19, 2025

WASHINGTON – The nonpartisan, nonprofit Partnership for Public Service released the following statement from President and CEO Max Stier after Howard Lutnick was confirmed as secretary of the Department of Commerce:  

“As secretary of the Department of Commerce, Howard Lutnick will play a role in helping shape our nation’s economic and international trade policies as well as overseeing agencies that include the Census Bureau, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. We are hopeful he will provide leadership support to the department’s civil service and rely on their knowledge and experience in carrying out the work that benefits the American people.” 

The Partnership’s Department of Commerce agency performance dashboard provides insights about the department’s operations and workforce. Some key data points include:  

• 2023 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government score and rank: 72.1 out of 100, ranking 4 out of 17 large agencies   

• Effective Leadership Score: 74.6 out of 100, ranking 4 out of 17 large agencies    

• Number of Senate-confirmed positions: 23  

The Partnership also produces and maintains several resources to assess and analyze the health of the federal government, including a political appointments tracker with The Washington Post that follows the progress of roughly 800 of President Trump’s Senate-confirmed positions. The annual Best Places to Work in the Federal Government^® rankings measure employee engagement government-wide as well as at individual departments, agencies and subcomponents. Additionally, our Vision for a Better Government provides areas of focus for management reforms. 

During the past 24 years, the nonpartisan, nonprofit Partnership for Public Service has been dedicated to building a better government and a stronger democracy. We work across administrations to help transform the way government works by providing agencies with the data insights they need to succeed, developing effective leaders, inspiring the next generation to public service, facilitating smooth presidential transitions and recognizing exceptional federal employees.     

Visit ourpublicservice.org, follow us @PublicService and subscribe today to get the latest federal news, information on upcoming Partnership programs and events, and more.         

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