Record of Achievement - Opening Markets (Text Only)

Opening Markets

"The trade agenda reflects my strong commitment to open markets around the world for the benefit of American workers, farmers, and businesses. I also am committed to open markets to provide lower prices and greater choices for US consumers and industries. Open trade fuels the engine of economic growth that creates new jobs and new income in the United States and around the world." -

President George W. Bush, May 10, 2001

The Accomplishments

Opening Markets for American Goods

Exports have reached record levels during the Bush Presidency.
President Bush, working closely with Congress, won Trade Promotion Authority to enable quicker passage of trade agreements. This was the first time Congress approved Trade Promotion Authority in eight years.
The Bush Administration has completed free trade agreements with 12 countries, including Australia, Morocco, Bahrain, Chile, Singapore, and Jordan, and is negotiating free trade agreements with 10 others.
The Administration is in the process of forming a Free Trade Area of the Americas, which will become the world's largest free trade area.
The Administration played a critical leadership role in successfully launching a new round of global trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The Bush Administration developed an aggressive plan to open international markets for US farmers - which helped generate a 10 percent increase in agricultural exports between 2000 and 2003.
The President signed a major expansion of assistance to help workers displaced by trade to acquire new skills and find new jobs. The Trade Act of 2003 nearly tripled the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. In 2003 it provided some $1.3 billion in training and income support, with nearly 200,000 workers eligible for assistance.
President Bush is ensuring that our trading partners abide by their international commitments by aggressively enforcing our trade laws. For example, the Administration brought the first-ever WTO case against China for its discriminatory tax treatment against US semiconductor makers. In July 2004, China agreed to end this unfair practice.