Statement from U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker on International Trade in Goods and Services in July 2013

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker issued the following statement today on the release of the July 2013 U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services data. U.S. exports hit the second-highest monthly level on record in July, dropping slightly to $189.4 billion, from an all-time monthly record of $190.5 billion in June. Record export levels were achieved in services and petroleum products. Exports through the first seven months of 2013 totaled $1.3 trillion, keeping the United States on track for another record-setting year.

Since President Obama launched the National Export Initiative (NEI) in 2010, an ambitious plan to sell more American goods and services into foreign markets, the United States has seen an increase of 1.3 million export-supported jobs. The NEI is the first Presidential-led, government-wide export promotion strategy. Through the initiative’s focus on improving trade promotion and advocacy, reducing barriers and enforcing trade rules, U.S. exports have continued to grow.

“We have seen record U.S. exports under the National Export Initiative,” said Secretary Pritzker. “While we still have more work to do, exports in July 2013 hit the second-highest monthly levels on record, and nearly 10 million Americans now have export-supported jobs. The U.S. Department of Commerce is committed to doing everything we can to help U.S. businesses continue to sell more products and services abroad and support even more jobs here at home.

Fact sheet (PDF)