Last week, Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI), Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee discussed the importance of trade during his remarks at the Washington International Trade Association. As Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, Paul has jurisdiction over international trade issues and legislation. “I think trade is absolutely vital—because our jobs depend on it. Twenty years ago, trade supported one out of every ten of our jobs. Now it’s one out of every five,” said Ryan. “This is our future. And there’s no turning back—because we can’t create more jobs if we don’t get more customers. And 96 percent of the world’s customers live outside the United States. So the way I see it, we’re going global for the same reason the pioneers went west: because that’s where the opportunity is.”

In addition, during a press conference last week, Chairman Ryan said that said Congress could approve two major pieces of trade legislation this year — a trade promotion authority bill enhancing President Barack Obama’s ability to bring home new trade deals, followed by a landmark agreement with Asia-Pacific countries. Ryan explained that it was imperative for Congress to pass TPA because not passing the bill would endanger the completion of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement that has been under negotiation for years with Japan and 10 other countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Think of the story you’d have to write if all of a sudden you can’t do that,” Ryan said. “That would be a very dangerous chapter in America’s global leadership story. It’s really important for America’s leadership in the world. Because if we don’t write the rules of the road.”

To read Chairman Ryan’s speech about the importance of trade, please visit the House Ways & Means website.