Grow U.S. Exports, Grow Jobs for Americans

Like many of you, I watched President Obama's recent State of the Union address.  And I was very pleased to hear about his goal of doubling U.S. exports of goods and services by 2014 to support two million jobs for Americans.

FedEx is very active in the exporting arena and our efforts go beyond simply transporting packages from country to country.  For example, through our trade promotion alliance with the Department of Commerce’s U.S. Commercial Service, FedEx has launched trade missions around the world linking businesses to new export markets.  We’ve developed joint-education programs to help our customers learn how to export. And we hold trade promotion events on an ongoing basis to help businesses connect to new customers. 

It‘s easy to think of FedEx as a company that just moves things from point A to point B.  But in reality, our role in the global economy is much broader. As a result, we are looking forward to working with the Administration to ensure that the National Export Initiative – announced on February 4 by Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke – achieves its export and job creation goals.
 
We will also continue to champion efforts to remove trade barriers so goods and services can flow more efficiently.  Of course, doubling U.S. exports requires complementary export promotion and trade policy initiatives. 

That’s why we are also stand behind passage of the pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea as each agreement will open new export opportunities and create jobs in the U.S.  In addition, FedEx continues to support an ambitious and balanced conclusion to the World Trade Organization’s Doha Round of negotiations.  

Moving forward on these trade policy initiatives will best enable the Administration to grow U.S. exports.  In other words, exports can create jobs and strengthen the U.S. economy.