Commerce links exports to increased jobs

The U.S. Commerce Department released data for the first time linking exports to jobs.

   The U.S. Commerce Department on Tuesday released new data highlighting for the first time the number of jobs supported by goods exports from each of the 50 states, as well as a report on exports from the country’s 387 Metropolitan Statistical Areas in 2013. 
   The department’s research shows that U.S. goods exports supported 7.1 million jobs, whereas overall goods and services exports – which totaled $2.3 trillion— supported more than 11.3 million American jobs in 2013.
   At the same time, U.S. metropolitan areas exported more than $1.4 trillion in goods in 2013, accounting for nearly 90 percent of all U.S. goods exports. Texas exports supported more jobs – an estimated 1.1. million – than any other state, with Houston leading the metropolitan area rankings for a second year in a row with $115 billion in goods exports.
   In addition to Texas, the other top five exporting states were California, Washington, Illinois and New York, which collectively supported 3 million jobs, or 43 percent of U.S. jobs driven by exports in 2013.
   According to Commerce, exports from U.S. metropolitan areas increased by nearly $43 billion – or 3.1 percent – between 2012 and 2013. “Along with Houston, New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Detroit complete the top five metropolitan area rankings. The Seattle metropolitan area showed the highest annual dollar growth in exports for a second consecutive year, with exports expanding by $6.4 billion in 2013. Both Texas and California had six metropolitan areas each in the report’s top 50 rankings,” the department said.
   “This new research provides further evidence that exports are strengthening our economy and creating good jobs,” said Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker in a statement. 
   “The fact is that exports have been the driving force behind growth in states and communities across the country, and exports account for nearly all of the post-recession growth in cities like Youngstown, Detroit, and Kansas City. All told, nearly one-third of our economic growth since mid-2009 has been driven by exports and 11.3 million Americans have export supported jobs,” she added.
   The Obama administration credits this export growth to initiatives, such as National Export Initiative of 2010 and NEI/NEXT which was launched by the White House in May.