Commerce to Expand SelectUSA in Effort to Help Exporters

The Commerce Department will expand the SelectUSA program in an effort to increase support of advanced manufacturing and aid exporters, said Commerce Secretary John Bryson during a April 19, 2012, House Subcommittee on Commerce Manufacturing and Trade hearing on American Manufacturing. SelectUSA, which was created through executive order last year, coordinates existing resources and functions across all Federal agencies that have operations relevant to business investment decisions, said Bryson. As a central point of contact within the U.S. government, SelectUSA serves as an advocate and ombudsman for the investor community, he said.

Working to Implement Panama Requirements

Bryson also heralded recent free trade agreements for opening markets to exports of American products and services. After making improvements to pending trade agreements with Korea, Colombia, and Panama, the Administration worked with Congress to secure support for their passage, said Bryson. The U.S.-Korea Trade Agreement is already in effect. The President recently said the agreement with Colombia will go into effect on May 15, and the Administration is now working closely with Panama to ensure the requirements laid out in the agreements are met and implemented as quickly as possible, said Bryson.