WASHINGTON — Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) made these remarks after the Senate voted Wednesday to grant trade promotion authority to the president:

“Our state grows and manufactures many things that consumers around the world want to buy.  That demand helps fuel our state economy and creates well-paid jobs.  Those jobs, and future job growth, would be 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 raw materials Wisconsin employers need to make their products. Wisconsin’s exports in 2013 supported more than 123,000 American jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.  Other studies show that 785,000 jobs in Wisconsin are supported by trade — that’s 28% of all jobs in the state.

“From food and forest products through motorcycles and supercomputers, across an incredible range of goods and services, Wisconsin businesses and workers rely on access to world markets. That is why I voted in favor of this bipartisan bill.”

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