State of the Union Spotlights Importance of Export Promotion
January 28, 2010Michelle O’Neil is the Acting Under Secretary of the International Trade Administration.
We have always known the importance of exports to the American economy here at the International Trade Administration and we are thrilled that President Obama recognized exports and the National Export Initiative in yesterday’s State of the Union Address.
If we needed any more confirmation of the importance of our role at ITA, we heard it last night. One of the pillars of the new foundation of economic growth rests on exporting more American goods and services – a message the nation heard loud and clear directly from President Obama.
There is no time for us to waste and no reason for the country to have to wait to see the results of the challenge the President laid at our feet: To double exports by the end of the next five years and support new jobs in America.
The President mentioned just about everything that we do here at ITA – but now we are going to step it up a notch to help create the two million jobs that doubling exports will generate.
We must help more farmers and small businesses expand their exports; seek new markets for American products; continue to pursue free trade agreements and find ways to enforce them; continue to push for concluding the Doha round; expand our trading relationships with Asia and other key trading partners; and, above all, work together.
In doing our jobs and doing them well, we will have confirmed the faith the President has in us.
Tradeology, the ITA Blog 