Q&A with Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker: Why Trade Agreements are Vital for US Economic Growth

A Q&A with Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker.

When asked, "What is the strategic importance of Obama administration priorities like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), and the G-20?" Sec Prtizker replied, "Trade agreements like TPP and TTIP enable us to set rules and standards for trade in the 21st century, which is an essential component of US leadership in the world. Trade agreements allow us to shape relationships—they empower us to help set labor and environmental standards, rules for e-commerce, and intellectual property and trade secret protections. And they strengthen our national security, since we have better relations with countries where there is a strong US commercial presence. With TPP, specifically, we want to ensure that our companies to have access to the countries that have the fastest-growing middle classes on earth. There is real demand for American products and services across Asia, but there are currently barriers to entry—and we don’t want our companies left behind."