Recommendations Find Common Ground between

Business and New Administration

WASHINGTON, DC—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released its 2009 international agenda to President-elect Barack Obama and the 111th Congress today.  The comprehensive set of recommendations finds common ground for working with the new administration and Congress by focusing on ways to level the playing field for trade, help small businesses export, and assist displaced workers. 

The U.S. Chamber's "International Engagement" plan offers recommendations in 14 areas to help Americans compete and win in the worldwide economy.   It focuses on the overall benefits of trade, which is now equivalent to more than a quarter of the America's GDP.  One in five factory jobs depends on exports, and one in three acres on American farms is planted for hungry consumers overseas.  Ninety-seven percent of America's exporters are small businesses. 

In a recently released independent post-election voter survey commissioned by the U.S. Chamber, 82% of voters agree that it is unfair for foreign countries to impose steep tariffs on U.S. exports while the U.S. market is already open to their imports.  

The complete set of trade recommendations are at: www.uschamber.com/transition