WASHINGTON – Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) made the following remarks on the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 that passed this evening in the Senate:

“Our state grows and manufactures many things that consumers throughout the U.S. and around the world want to buy.  That global demand for Wisconsin products helps fuel our state economy and creates good paying jobs.  Those jobs, and future job growth, would be put at risk if the U.S. withdraws from trade agreements and cedes foreign markets to global competitors.

“In 2013, Wisconsin exported $23.1 billion in goods. That was balanced by imports to Wisconsin worth $22.2 billion – with the work of bringing in imports supporting jobs directly and with imports oftentimes being the raw materials or parts that Wisconsin employers need to make their products. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Wisconsin’s exports in 2013 supported more than 123,000 American jobs.  Other economic studies show that 785,000 jobs in Wisconsin are in some fashion related to trade activity — approximately 28% of all employment in the state.

“With exports from an incredible range of industries — agriculture, cheese and other foods, paper and plastics, Harley Davidson motorcycles, small engines, construction and mining equipment, industrial controls, engineering services and supercomputers, just to name a few — Wisconsin businesses and workers rely on access to world markets. That is why I voted in favor of this bipartisan trade bill.”

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