U.S. Chamber Intensifies Lobbying Effort Toward Successful Passage of Trade Agreements

New Website Offers Unprecedented Data About Exports, Jobs For All 50 States and 435 Congressional Districts

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today unveiled the website www.TradeSupportsJobs.com, offering unprecedented details on U.S. exports and the jobs they support for all 50 states and all 435 Congressional Districts, as the business community intensifies its advocacy for the trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama.

“With facts and arguments, we’ll win this trade debate and get these deals done,” said U.S. Chamber President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue at a press event today to launch the website and outline the Chamber’s nationwide lobbying efforts in support of the trade agreements. “For the first time, this site makes available lists of thousands of companies that are exporting, in every state and every district. We need these facts and arguments more than ever because we need these trade agreements more than ever.”

In addition to the website, the Chamber is intensifying its efforts to win passage of the pending agreements through a grassroots trade education campaign across the country, print and online advertisements, increased social media engagement, and meetings with freshman House members in their districts to discuss how these trade deals will create jobs.

Donohue pointed out that the playing field isn’t level right now between the United States and our trading partners. Korea currently collects $4 in tariffs on U.S. goods for every $1 in tariffs the United States collects on imports from Korea. Colombia currently collects $100 in tariffs on U.S. goods for every $1 in tariffs the United States collects on imports from Colombia. As a result, U.S. companies have paid more than $17 billion in tariffs to Korea, Colombia, and Panama since the FTAs were signed four years ago.

“That’s $17 billion in taxes paid to foreign governments that would never have been levied if the FTAs hadn’t been gathering dust for the past four years,” Donohue said. “We can’t delay any longer. If Washington is serious about creating jobs in America, it’s time to act on these deals.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.