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For Immediate Release: January 27, 2011
Contact: Mary Trupo (202) 482-3809
National Export Initiative Results in Expanded Exports; Commerce Efforts Continue
Exports up 17 percent since President's Call for Doubling Exports
WASHINGTON – Today marks one year since President Obama unveiled the National Export Initiative and called for a doubling of U.S. exports by 2014. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco Sánchez today reported that U.S. exports expanded by 17 percent through November 2010, keeping the United States on track to meet the President's goal.
"In announcing his National Export Initiative, the President defined how the American economy will grow in the future," Sánchez told business leaders at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "Let us recommit ourselves today to continue to grow our economy by working together to support businesses as they expand their sales overseas."
The administration's NEI efforts in year one focused on five key areas: improving trade advocacy and export promotion efforts; increasing access to credit; removing barriers to the sale of U.S. goods and services abroad; enforcing trade rules; and pursuing policies to promote strong, sustainable, and balanced growth.
During calendar year 2010, the Department of Commerce:
- assisted U.S. companies competing for international contracts and other U.S. export opportunities through commercial advocacy worth $18.7 billion in U.S. export content, supporting an estimated 101,000 jobs;
- coordinated an unprecedented 35 trade missions to 31 countries with nearly 400 companies resulting in an anticipated $2 billion in increased exports;
- helped more than 5,500 U.S. companies complete an export success
- recruited nearly 13,000 foreign buyers to major U.S. trade shows, facilitating approximately $770 million in export successes; and
- resolved successfully more than 82 trade barriers in 45 countries that were affecting a broad range of industries.
"In the first year of the NEI, we refocused how the federal government works together to support American commerce," Sánchez said. "We engaged the business community in new and expanded ways, and our economy is already reaping the benefits of this cooperation. But we must do more."
Sánchez detailed what lies ahead for the NEI's second year including improving awareness of the benefits of trade – especially among America's small and medium-sized enterprises; expanding the New Market Exporter Initiative; and finalizing pending trade agreements.
Additionally, at today's Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee meeting, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke announced the New Markets, New Jobs roadshow focusing on helping small businesses export. The tour will be a year-long, interagency, multi-city outreach campaign designed to help connect small and medium sized businesses with the resources they need to sell more of what they make overseas.
"I look forward to finalizing the National Export Strategy and having the administration issue it to Congress in March," Sánchez said. "The annual report will provide the game plan for moving the ball forward during year two of the NEI."
The NEI positively contributed to the nation's economic successes of the past year. "But it is not a one-year program," Sánchez said. "We are just getting started."
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International Trade Administration
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