Charles County

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a governmental agency headquartered in Washington, DC, dedicated to supporting economic development in the Appalachian region. The ARC focuses on improving the quality of life by investing in projects that promote job creation, workforce development, and infrastructure enhancement. Through partnerships with local communities, the ARC identifies investment priorities such as building businesses, expanding access to capital, and addressing substance use disorders. Additionally, the commission supports initiatives related to community infrastructure, broadband expansion, and regional culture and tourism to foster sustainable growth in the region. Generated from the website content

From automated teller machines and atomic clocks to mammograms and semiconductors, innumerable products and services rely in some way on technology, measurement and standards provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Founded in 1901, NIST is a non-regulatory federal agency within the United States Commerce Department's Technology Administration. NIST's mission is to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve the quality of life. NIST carries out its mission in four cooperative programs: the NIST Laboratories, Baldrige National Quality Program, Manufacturing Extension Partnership and Advanced Technology Program. NIST has an operating budget of about $930 million and operates in Gaithersburg, Md., and Boulder, Colo.