[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 36 (Thursday, February 23, 2012)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 10935-10937]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4438]



[[Page 10933]]

Vol. 77

Thursday,

No. 36

February 23, 2012

Part III





The President





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Memorandum of February 17, 2012--Maximizing the Effectiveness of 
Federal Programs and Functions Supporting Trade and Investment
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                         Presidential Documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 36 / Thursday, February 23, 2012 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 10935]]

                Memorandum of February 17, 2012

                
Maximizing the Effectiveness of Federal Programs 
                and Functions Supporting Trade and Investment

                Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and 
                Agencies

                Winning the future and creating an economy that's built 
                to last will require the Federal Government to wisely 
                allocate scarce resources to maximize efficiency and 
                effectiveness so that it can best support American 
                competitiveness, innovation, and job growth. Creating 
                good, high-paying jobs in the United States and 
                ensuring sustainable economic growth are the top 
                priorities of my Administration. To accomplish these 
                goals, we must ensure that U.S. businesses increase 
                their exports of goods, services, and agricultural 
                products, and that foreign companies recognize the 
                United States as an attractive place to invest and to 
                open businesses. While this growth will be fueled by 
                the private sector, the Federal Government must do its 
                part to facilitate trade and investment.

                Executive Order 13534 of March 11, 2010, established 
                the Export Promotion Cabinet to coordinate the 
                development and implementation of the National Export 
                Initiative (NEI) to improve conditions that directly 
                affect the private sector's ability to export and to 
                help meet my Administration's goal of doubling exports 
                over 5 years. Pursuant to the terms of the Executive 
                Order, the Export Promotion Cabinet conducts its work 
                in coordination with the Trade Promotion Coordinating 
                Committee (TPCC). The TPCC, chaired by the Secretary of 
                Commerce, was authorized by statute in 1992 (15 U.S.C. 
                4727) and established by Executive Order 12870 of 
                September 30, 1993. The NEI has used Government 
                resources and policies to increase exports at a pace 
                consistent with the goal of doubling exports by the end 
                of 2014. The NEI has accomplished this by opening up 
                foreign markets for U.S. exports, enhancing enforcement 
                of our trade laws, providing needed export financing, 
                advocating on behalf of U.S. firms, and otherwise 
                facilitating U.S. exports. But we must do more.

                On January 13, 2012, I announced that I would submit a 
                legislative proposal seeking the authority to 
                reorganize the Federal Government in order to reduce 
                costs and consolidate agencies (Consolidation 
                Authority), and outlined the first use I would make of 
                such authority: to streamline functions currently 
                dispersed across numerous agencies into a single new 
                department to promote competitiveness, exports, and 
                American business. The new department would integrate 
                and streamline trade negotiation, financing, promotion, 
                and enforcement functions currently housed at half a 
                dozen executive departments and agencies, and would 
                include an office dedicated to expanding foreign 
                investment and assisting businesses that are 
                considering investing in the United States. In addition 
                to the trade and investment functions, the new 
                department would include integrated small business, 
                technology, innovation, and statistics programs and 
                services from a number of departments and agencies, 
                thereby creating a one-stop shop for businesses that 
                want to grow and export. We cannot afford to wait until 
                the Congress acts, however, and must do all we can 
                administratively to make the most efficient and 
                effective use of the Federal Government's trade, 
                foreign investment, export, and business programs and 
                functions.

                Accordingly, to further enhance and coordinate Federal 
                efforts to facilitate the creation of jobs in the 
                United States and ensure sustainable economic growth 
                through trade and foreign investment, and to ensure the 
                effective

[[Page 10936]]

                and efficient use of Federal resources in support of 
                these goals, I hereby direct the following:

                    (1) Program Coordination. In coordination with the 
                TPCC, the Export Promotion Cabinet shall develop 
                strategies and initiatives in support of my 
                Administration's strategic trade and investment goals 
                and priorities, including the specific measures 
                outlined in this memorandum. The Assistant to the 
                President and Deputy National Security Advisor for 
                International Economics shall coordinate the activities 
                of the Export Promotion Cabinet pursuant to this 
                memorandum. Measures and progress shall continue to be 
                reported in the annual National Export Strategy report 
                of the TPCC. The TPCC will continue to function as it 
                has, consistent with its statutorily mandated duties.
                    (2) Improving Customer Service for Exporters. 
                Consistent with my memorandum of October 28, 2011 
                (Making it Easier for America's Small Businesses and 
                America's Exporters to Access Government Services to 
                Help Them Grow and Hire), the Export Promotion Cabinet 
                shall support the Steering Committee established 
                pursuant to that memorandum in its efforts to create 
                BusinessUSA, a common, open, online platform and web 
                service that will, among other things, enable exporters 
                to seamlessly access information about export-related 
                Government programs, resources, and services regardless 
                of which agency provides them.
                    (3) Trade Budget. The Export Promotion Cabinet 
                shall, in consultation with the TPCC:

(a) evaluate the allocation of Federal Government resources to assist with 
trade financing, negotiation, enforcement, and promotion, as well as the 
encouragement of foreign investment in the United States, and identify 
potential savings from streamlining overlapping or duplicative programs, as 
well as areas in need of additional resources;

(b) make recommendations to the Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for more effective resource allocation to these functions, 
consistent with my Administration's strategic trade and investment goals 
and priorities, including recommendations to streamline overlapping and 
duplicative programs and reallocate those resources; and

(c) present to the Director of OMB for consideration in the annual process 
for developing the President's Budget, a proposed unified Federal trade 
budget, consistent with my Administration's strategic trade and investment 
goals and priorities.

                    (4) Coordination of Offices and Staff. The Export 
                Promotion Cabinet, in consultation with the TPCC, shall 
                take steps to ensure the most efficient use of its 
                members' domestic and foreign offices and distribution 
                networks, including: co-locating offices wherever 
                appropriate; cross-training staff to better serve 
                business customers at home and abroad by promoting 
                exports to foreign countries and foreign investment in 
                the United States; and considering the effectiveness of 
                commercial diplomacy, cross-training, and referrals, as 
                appropriate, when evaluating employee performance.
                    (5) Enhancing Business Competitiveness. Pending 
                passage of legislation providing Consolidation 
                Authority, the Export Promotion Cabinet shall work with 
                the National Economic Council to develop and coordinate 
                administrative initiatives to align and enhance 
                programs that enable and support efforts by American 
                businesses, particularly small businesses, to innovate, 
                grow, and increase exports.
                    (6) General Provisions (a) This memorandum shall be 
                implemented consistent with applicable law and subject 
                to the availability of appropriations.

(b) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise 
affect:

  (i) authority granted by law to a department or agency, or the head 
thereof; or

[[Page 10937]]

  (ii) functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, 
administrative, or legislative proposals.

(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or 
benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any 
party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, 
its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

(d) The Director of OMB is hereby authorized and directed to publish this 
memorandum in the Federal Register.


                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    Washington, February 17, 2012

[FR Doc. 2012-4438
Filed 2-22-12; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3110-01-P