NAFTA NOTES Thursday, September 30, 1993 President Unveils Plan Stressing Link Between Exports, Jobs * "I don't believe that a wealthy country can grow much richer in the world we're living in without expanding exports," President Clinton said yesterday. "I don't believe you can create jobs ... unless we can increase the volume of exports in this country." The President spoke to a group of U.S. business leaders at the White House, announcing the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee's report designed to lower barriers to exports and streamline the Government's efforts in export promotion. In his remarks, the President said "it's very important to see this announcement today in the context of our administration's support of the NAFTA agreement. It would also open up our export opportunities, not just to Mexico, but throughout all of Latin America." * Since 1988, exports have accounted for 58% of U.S. GDP growth. * Today, the U.S. exports $600 billion in products, supporting 7 million American jobs. * The export initiative announced by the President is designed to boost that to $1 trillion in exports, supporting some 13 million American jobs by the year 2000. * Such export-related jobs pay on average 17 percent more than non-export-related jobs. (Source: Department of Commerce) * The President asserted "that anyone who has seriously looked at the NAFTA dynamics, the specifics of the NAFTA agreement, will actually alleviate all the complaints that people have who are attacking it." He reminded his audience that "[t]his export strategy we announced today assumes that we have people to sell to. ... We have to keep reaching out to tear down these barriers, to integrate our economies in ways that benefit Americans." * Commerce Secretary Ron Brown, who chaired the Interagency Committee which produced the report, stated: "A more effective export strategy can easily result in over one trillion dollars in exports and six million additional jobs by the year 2000." The report contains 65 specific recommendations for revamping and stream-lining U.S. export promotion activities. The initiative would create "one-stop shopping" for small and medium size exporters by consolidating the resources of Commerce, the Export-Import Bank and the Small Business Administration in one place; coordinate the resources of the Administration for export promotion activities; as well as easing controls on certain high-tech exports. NAFTA Fact * Because of current Mexican import restrictions (which NAFTA eliminates) U.S. automakers today export more vehicles to Japan than they do to Mexico. ###