[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 95 (Tuesday, June 1, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E597-E598]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CELEBRATING THE WORK AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE 
              ADMINISTRATION DURING WORLD TRADE MONTH 2021

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RON KIND

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 1, 2021

  Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, in recognition of the end of World Trade 
Month in May, I rise today to thank the professionals of the 
International Trade Administration (ITA) for their work to strengthen 
the international competitiveness of U.S. industry, promote trade and 
investment, and ensure fair trade and compliance with trade laws and 
agreements.
  ITA has a tangible and direct impact on the lives of American workers 
and the success of American businesses. It also provides great return 
on investment in terms of U.S. taxpayer dollars spent. Each dollar that 
Congress appropriated to ITA in FY20 returned $313 to the U.S. economy. 
ITA's global workforce is deployed across 106 domestic offices and 
nearly

[[Page E598]]

80 foreign markets worldwide. Teams comprised of trade specialists, 
business and industry specialists, and economists provide unique 
sectoral and analytical expertise that supports U.S. Government efforts 
to protect the interests of U.S. businesses of all sizes and help them 
grow their exports. Their specialized knowledge across a broad range of 
sectors, policy programs, and economic activity is specifically 
tailored to inform decisions across the government, from trade 
negotiations, to trade enforcement, to supply chain resilience, to 
inward investment and national security.
  ITA works on behalf of U.S. companies to promote a fair and rules-
based international trading system that enhances American 
competitiveness. Core to this mission is strong enforcement of U.S. 
trade laws and taking action when our trading partners engage in unfair 
trade practices or do not play by the rules. ITA leverages its 
expertise in antidumping and countervailing duties to level the playing 
field for domestic manufacturing, and similarly its expertise in trade 
agreements compliance and Foreign Trade Zones to support job creation 
and encourage investment in the United States.
  ITA's work also helps to safeguard and create jobs in the United 
States. It is a well-known fact that businesses that export, on 
average, pay higher wages and create more jobs than their non-exporting 
counterparts. As of late April 2021, since October 2020, ITA had 
assisted over 1,500 rural businesses, more than 1,500 woman-owned 
businesses, and over 1,300 minority-owned businesses. Thus far in FY21, 
the organization has assisted more than 20,000 U.S. companies with 
their export needs despite the setbacks created by the Covid-19 
pandemic. Furthermore, SelectUSA, the foreign direct investment arm of 
the organization, has facilitated more than $84 billion in client-
verified investment and supported more than 106,000 jobs since its 
inception in 2011.
  In closing, as we continue to celebrate the benefits of global trade, 
I appreciate this opportunity to recognize the hard and often unsung 
work and accomplishments of the professionals at ITA.

                          ____________________