NEW ORLEANS – Mayor Mitch Landrieu issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to grant the Obama Administration Trade Promotion Authority.
Trade Promotion Authority will pave the way for the President to negotiate trade agreements that will level the international playing field and create jobs by expanding U.S. exports. The bill now heads to the U.S. Senate for its consideration.
In 2013, the New Orleans metropolitan area was the eighth largest export market in the United States, with merchandise shipments totaling $30 billion. This is up $5.7 billion (23.3 percent) from the $24.4 billion in merchandise exported in 2012.
Statement from Mayor Landrieu:
“I applaud the House for voting to give the President the tools necessary to negotiate new free trade agreements and I encourage the Senate to approve this measure quickly. Trade Promotion Authority will lead to new trade pacts that will spur economic growth in Louisiana while protecting workers, small businesses and the environment. Few states rely more on trade than Louisiana, where 20 percent of jobs depend on it and exports from Louisiana to free-trade countries grew by 242 percent in the last ten years. I look forward to working with pro-trade leaders across the nation to finalize strong free trade agreements that will open new markets in Asia to Louisiana businesses.”
