Ross Statement on Support of Trade Agreements

Statement

U.S. Congressman Mike Ross of Prescott voted on Wednesday to pass three key trade agreements he said will open growing markets to Arkansas-made goods and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs in the U.S. The three trade agreements with Colombia, H.R. 3078, Panama, H.R. 3079, and, South Korea, H.R. 3080, passed the U.S. House of Representatives and will now be considered by the Senate.

The White House estimates the three trade agreements could create over 250,000 U.S. jobs in the manufacturing, services and agricultural sectors and will boost U.S. exports by over $13 billion annually. According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, an estimated 69,000 Arkansas jobs were supported by Arkansas goods and products exported in 2008 (the last year for which data is available). In 2010, $2.4 billion, or 45 percent of Arkansas's goods exports were to countries with which the United States has a trade agreement.

Statement by U.S. Congressman Mike Ross of Prescott:

"We've got to do more to win the global manufacturing race. I want the "Made in America' label seen in every country in the world and, in order to do that, we need smart, targeted and specific trade agreements that allow us to export more American-made goods to other countries.

"These trade agreements will open three more growing markets to American-made products and American-grown food and fiber, particularly from states like Arkansas, boosting production and creating more private-sector jobs. Arkansas crops like rice, soybeans and cotton and Arkansas-manufactured goods can now be exported to and sold in more world markets, increasing our state's GDP and putting more people back to work here in Arkansas.

"We've got to boost American manufacturing and agriculture to get our economy back on track and that's why I supported these three trade agreements. We need jobs and we need jobs now and I'll keep doing everything I can to bring more jobs to America and to our great state.

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