USA*Engage Applauds Pro-Trade Agenda in State of the Union Address

Trade creates new jobs and promotes engagement

Washington DC – Citing the critical need for a sound trade policy in 2002, USA*Engage applauds President Bush's endorsement of Trade Promotion Authority in the State of the Union address.

 "Good jobs depend on expanded trade. Selling into new markets creates new jobs, so I ask Congress to finally approve trade promotion authority," said President Bush in his State of the Union address on January 29, 2002.

"This is an important time for trade," said Bill Reinsch, Co-Chairman of USA*Engage and President of the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC). "TPA is vital to advancing America’s economic leadership and engagement with the rest of the world and essential to stimulating economic growth and prosperity at home and abroad."

USA*Engage also commends the President's for endorsing a policy of engagement.

"America is working with Russia and China and India, in ways we have never before, to achieve peace and prosperity," said President Bush. "In every region, free markets and free trade and free societies are proving their power to lift lives."

"As the President noted, TPA will be a vital component to spreading American values throughout the world," said Reinsch. "We need a sound trade policy that will allow us to strengthen relationships with our present and future trading partners."

USA*ENGAGE is a coalition of over 670 small and large businesses, agriculture groups and trade associations working to seek alternatives to the proliferation of unilateral U.S. foreign policy sanctions and to promote the benefits of U.S. engagement abroad.  For more information on USA*ENGAGE and the harmful effects of unilateral trade sanctions, visit the USA*ENGAGE web site at www.usaengage.org.

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