News & Insights

NFTC Cites Importance of Trade to State Economies

State Legislators Provided Detailed Guide to Benefits of International Trade

Washington, DC ­ In a special report issued today, the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) provided a detailed guide to state legislators on how international trade benefits every state economy. “The United States and Global Trade: A State Legislator’s Guide to Maximizing Economic Opportunity through Trade,” also provides an outline for legislators on the role states can play in developing U.S. trade policy and how state governments can maximize the benefits of trade for individual state economies.

 

 

“U.S. trade agreements pave the way for state economic growth,” said Bill Reinsch, NFTC President. “Developing international markets has been a necessary priority for the U.S. Government and requires painstaking negotiations. Without trade agreements, the millions of Americans whose jobs come directly from trade would have no job security and our economy would suffer.”

 

 

The NFTC guide was prepared to serve as a resource for state legislators who want to better understand the basis and substance of U.S. international trade policy, and in part, to dispel many of the negative myths about the impact of trade.

 

 

“Increasing the sales of a state’s manufacturers, farmers and service suppliers is a goal that every policymaker should embrace – and governors routinely lead trade missions abroad in the quest to open new markets for state exporters,” said Mary Irace, NFTC Vice President of Trade and Export Finance. “However, the far-reaching impact of international trade is not always fully recognized. We’re hoping this guide will help set the record straight and serve as a valuable resource for legislators.”

 

 

The guide offers a comprehensive look at the issues surrounding the current trade debate, including the importance of assisting American workers, protecting American investments, and expanding opportunities for trade in services – the most significant and fast growing sector of the U.S. economy.

 

 

The guide will be distributed widely to state legislative leaders and other interested parties and is available on the NFTC Web site at http://www.nftc.org/default/trade/US%20&%20Global%20Trade%20Report.pdf.

---

Advancing Global Commerce for Over 90 Years

The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules-based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.