Erik Paulsen: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. And I also thank you for your leadership on the Trade Subcommittee. Mr. Speaker…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. And I also thank you for your leadership on the Trade Subcommittee. Mr. Speaker, there's no doubt with our economy struggling Washington should be doing everything it can to give our job creators the economic certainty that they need and they lack right now, including meaningful tax reform and alleviating government regulations. But the future of growth right now doesn't only lie in a more efficient bureaucracy or lower taxes, it also lies in giving greater export opportunities to emerging markets that are hungry--hungry for American products and our ideas. The simple truth is that increased trade, new sales and new customers are a proven way to create jobs. These three pending free trade agreements with Panama, South Korea, and Colombia will level the playing field for American businesses, aid in our economic recovery, and allow the United States to compete and win. And with so much concern about skyrocketing deficits, increased free trade is a no-cost way to help the private sector create jobs. In my home State of Minnesota, 60,000 jobs are dependent on global trade. Now surprisingly, it's not just our fertile soil in the ag community or the iron ore deposits up north that are creating most of these jobs. Ironically, over 90 percent of Minnesota's trade-supported jobs come from the manufacturing sector. That's a true testament to the quality of Minnesota-made products and the workers who produce them.…”