Congressman Gregory W. Meeks Organizes Staff Field Trip to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in Honor of World Trade Week

(WASHINGTON, DC)–In order to raise awareness of World Trade Week, Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-6), a senior Member of House Committee on Financial Services and Chairman of its Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade and Co-Chair of U.S. House of Representatives Services Caucus, organized, along with his co-chairs from the Services Caucus, a staff trip to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday, May 21, 2010. The visit to USTR gave staff the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the role of USTR, the agency responsible for negotiating trade agreements, and to hear directly from the Deputy of USTR, Ambassador Miriam Sapiro and other senior trade officials about services and investment.

The Office of Services and Investment at USTR is responsible for the development and implementation of U.S. services trade and international investment policy, including the negotiation, monitoring and enforcement of bilateral, regional and multilateral trade agreements.

The service sector is critically important to the U.S. economy and job creation, including in fields like high-tech, information technology, express delivery, and health care. Services are the backbone of the U.S. economy, contributing 80% of GDP, or $8.2 trillion, and employing 93 million Americans. Currently, the United States is the world’s most competitive services exporter. Last year, U.S. services exports reached $526 billion and the U.S. recorded a services trade surplus of $161 billion. USTR is responsible for opening overseas markets to provide more opportunity for Americans to sell goods and services.

“Service sector jobs account for the largest share of employment in every Congressional district and make up a large percentage of jobs in the state of New York and in the 6th Congressional district. This trip gave congressional staff and Members valuable insight into the initiatives that are currently underway by hearing directly from officials who are charged with negotiating and implementing our trade policies. As the world’s most competitive services exporter, the U.S. must continue to develop new techniques and opportunities for Americans to sell goods and services and be competitive in a constantly growing overseas market,” stated Congressman Meeks.

Now serving in his sixth full-term, Meeks was elected to the House on February 3, 1998. Representing New York's Sixth Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, Meeks' district covers all towns of Southeast Queens, Far Rockaway and Howard Beach. He is a member of the House Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Congressman Meeks is the Chairman of the International Monetary Policy & Trade Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee. He is a Member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), New Democrats Coalition and the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC). He serves as the Co-chair of the Malaysia Caucus, Services Caucus, Dialogue Caucus, OAS Caucus and the Middle East Economic Partnership Caucus.