Sen. Carper Highlights Positive Impact of Trade on Jobs and Economic Growth in Delaware

WASHINGTON- Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) highlighted the Obama administration’s announcement that Delaware’s merchandise exports reached $5.3 billion in 2014, while the United States exported a total of $2.35 trillion in goods and services – a national record. It’s estimated that every billion dollars of exports supports an average of 5,000 jobs, often in industries with higher-than-average salaries. 

“The numbers released yesterday demonstrate the critical role that international trade has played in our economic recovery in the First State and around the United States,” Sen. Carper said. “It is also a reminder of the tremendous opportunity our state and our country have to further that recovery if Congress and the administration can worth together to strengthen our trade relationships with a host of willing partners around the world. We know exports supported an estimated 25,000 jobs in our state in 2013, but I know it can create thousands more if we create the environment for trade to thrive. I will continue working with my colleagues on the Senate Finance committee to reach a bipartisan agreement on the Trade Promotion Authority so that major deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) can get across the finish line.”

According to data released by the Department of Commerce:

Delaware’s goods exports in 2014 were led by a number of sectors, including chemicals ($2.1 billion); computer and electronic products ($971 million); and transportation equipment ($522 million);

Delaware exported $1.4 billion annually in goods to all TPP markets (2012-2014 average), which accounted for 26 percent of the state’s goods exports

Delaware exported $2 billion annually in goods to the European Union (2012-2014 average).

More than 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside of our country’s borders and it is critical to American businesses that their goods and services can reach those international markets and be competitive when they get there. By leading the charge in negotiating agreements like the TPP, the United States can level the playing field for our country’s exports without compromising our principles and commitments to things like protecting workers’ rights and preserving our environment. A TPP agreement would eliminate tariffs and create new market access for Delaware businesses to countries like Brunei, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and Vietnam. 

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