FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 12, 2012
CONTACT OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
202-482-4883

On two-year anniversary of the National Export Initiative (NEI), data shows exports support increasing number of jobs

On the two-year anniversary of the signing of the Executive Order creating the National Export Initiative (NEI), the U.S. Department of Commerce today released data showing that jobs supported by U.S. exports increased by 1.2 million between 2009 and 2011. Building on strong growth in 2010, exports supported approximately 9.7 million jobs in 2011 and the value of U.S. exports of goods and services exceeded $2.1 trillion for the first time in U.S. history.

“Two years ago this week, President Obama set an ambitious goal of doubling U.S. exports over five years. The numbers released today show that our exports support an increasing number of American jobs and we simply cannot afford to let up on our efforts to help U.S. businesses build it here and sell it everywhere,” said Commerce Secretary John Bryson. “We must maintain the track record of the past two years and continue to support U.S. companies in selling their goods to the 95 percent of the world’s consumers who live beyond our borders by helping to create opportunities and a level playing field. We know that when American businesses and workers get a fair shot, they can compete and they can win.”

In 2010, President Obama announced his NEI goal of doubling U.S. exports by the end of 2014 to create more good-paying jobs. Through the NEI, the administration is increasing trade advocacy and export promotion efforts, removing barriers and expanding access to markets, and enforcing trade rules. These efforts strengthen our economy and boost job creation. President Obama recently announced a series of efforts to open up markets for American goods and services and level the playing field for American companies.

Efforts to expand markets for American businesses include the U.S.-Korea Trade Agreement that will enter into force this Thursday, March 15, and is expected to increase U.S. exports by approximately $11 billion. The agreement will support tens of thousands of American jobs, while opening up Korea’s $1 trillion economy for America’s workers and businesses.

Since the beginning of the NEI, the Commerce Department has taken a number of steps to help U.S. companies export globally and create jobs locally. Some examples include:

• The Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration’s (ITA) has assisted more than 9,200 U.S. companies record an export success, supporting more than $100 billion in exports. In 2011 alone, nearly 6,000 American companies–including 3,000 small- and medium-sized enterprises–were able to export for the first time or increase their exports to new markets. These successes were achieved through advocacy work, trade missions, and foreign trade shows, among other efforts
• The administration is also expanding the depth and breadth of partnerships to improve trade advocacy and export promotion efforts–a stated goal for the NEI. These strategic partnerships with several leading U.S. organizations (including FedEx, UPS, the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Postal Service) help U.S. businesses take advantage of these new opportunities for growth. To date, the Commerce Department's private sector partners have reached out to more than 25,000 of their client companies and more than 1000 US companies have requested assistance in entering new markets.
• The Commerce Department’s Advocacy Center helped hundreds of U.S. companies–small, medium and large enterprises–in various industry sectors win government contracts across the globe. Since the launch of the National Export Initiative in 2009, the Advocacy Center has increased its caseload 52 percent and has helped U.S. companies win 145 projects.
• The administration recently launched BusinessUSA, a virtual one-stop shop that makes it easier for America’s businesses to access the services and information they need to help them grow, hire and export. BusinessUSA implements a “no wrong door” policy for small businesses and exporters by using technology to quickly connect businesses to the services and information relevant to them, regardless of where the information is located. Last month, the Commerce Department launched a $10,000 “app challenge” calling on app developers to find innovative ways to help businesses by improving the delivery of the BusinessUSA website tools to the business community.
• Last month, President Obama signed an Executive Order creating a new Interagency Trade Enforcement Center (ITEC), a center that will significantly enhance the administration’s capabilities to aggressively challenge unfair trade practices around the world, including in China. The Commerce Department and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative are leading this “whole-government” approach to getting tough on trade enforcement by monitoring and enforcing U.S. rights under international and domestic trade rules and countering unfair subsidies that tilt the global market against U.S. firms. The two agencies are working across the federal government to coordinate resources and ramp up efforts this year.