[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 36 (Thursday, February 23, 2012)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 10935-10937]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4438]
[[Page 10933]]
Vol. 77
Thursday,
No. 36
February 23, 2012
Part III
The President
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Memorandum of February 17, 2012--Maximizing the Effectiveness of
Federal Programs and Functions Supporting Trade and Investment
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 36 / Thursday, February 23, 2012 /
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
[[Page 10935]]
Memorandum of February 17, 2012
Maximizing the Effectiveness of Federal Programs
and Functions Supporting Trade and Investment
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and
Agencies
Winning the future and creating an economy that's built
to last will require the Federal Government to wisely
allocate scarce resources to maximize efficiency and
effectiveness so that it can best support American
competitiveness, innovation, and job growth. Creating
good, high-paying jobs in the United States and
ensuring sustainable economic growth are the top
priorities of my Administration. To accomplish these
goals, we must ensure that U.S. businesses increase
their exports of goods, services, and agricultural
products, and that foreign companies recognize the
United States as an attractive place to invest and to
open businesses. While this growth will be fueled by
the private sector, the Federal Government must do its
part to facilitate trade and investment.
Executive Order 13534 of March 11, 2010, established
the Export Promotion Cabinet to coordinate the
development and implementation of the National Export
Initiative (NEI) to improve conditions that directly
affect the private sector's ability to export and to
help meet my Administration's goal of doubling exports
over 5 years. Pursuant to the terms of the Executive
Order, the Export Promotion Cabinet conducts its work
in coordination with the Trade Promotion Coordinating
Committee (TPCC). The TPCC, chaired by the Secretary of
Commerce, was authorized by statute in 1992 (15 U.S.C.
4727) and established by Executive Order 12870 of
September 30, 1993. The NEI has used Government
resources and policies to increase exports at a pace
consistent with the goal of doubling exports by the end
of 2014. The NEI has accomplished this by opening up
foreign markets for U.S. exports, enhancing enforcement
of our trade laws, providing needed export financing,
advocating on behalf of U.S. firms, and otherwise
facilitating U.S. exports. But we must do more.
On January 13, 2012, I announced that I would submit a
legislative proposal seeking the authority to
reorganize the Federal Government in order to reduce
costs and consolidate agencies (Consolidation
Authority), and outlined the first use I would make of
such authority: to streamline functions currently
dispersed across numerous agencies into a single new
department to promote competitiveness, exports, and
American business. The new department would integrate
and streamline trade negotiation, financing, promotion,
and enforcement functions currently housed at half a
dozen executive departments and agencies, and would
include an office dedicated to expanding foreign
investment and assisting businesses that are
considering investing in the United States. In addition
to the trade and investment functions, the new
department would include integrated small business,
technology, innovation, and statistics programs and
services from a number of departments and agencies,
thereby creating a one-stop shop for businesses that
want to grow and export. We cannot afford to wait until
the Congress acts, however, and must do all we can
administratively to make the most efficient and
effective use of the Federal Government's trade,
foreign investment, export, and business programs and
functions.
Accordingly, to further enhance and coordinate Federal
efforts to facilitate the creation of jobs in the
United States and ensure sustainable economic growth
through trade and foreign investment, and to ensure the
effective
[[Page 10936]]
and efficient use of Federal resources in support of
these goals, I hereby direct the following:
(1) Program Coordination. In coordination with the
TPCC, the Export Promotion Cabinet shall develop
strategies and initiatives in support of my
Administration's strategic trade and investment goals
and priorities, including the specific measures
outlined in this memorandum. The Assistant to the
President and Deputy National Security Advisor for
International Economics shall coordinate the activities
of the Export Promotion Cabinet pursuant to this
memorandum. Measures and progress shall continue to be
reported in the annual National Export Strategy report
of the TPCC. The TPCC will continue to function as it
has, consistent with its statutorily mandated duties.
(2) Improving Customer Service for Exporters.
Consistent with my memorandum of October 28, 2011
(Making it Easier for America's Small Businesses and
America's Exporters to Access Government Services to
Help Them Grow and Hire), the Export Promotion Cabinet
shall support the Steering Committee established
pursuant to that memorandum in its efforts to create
BusinessUSA, a common, open, online platform and web
service that will, among other things, enable exporters
to seamlessly access information about export-related
Government programs, resources, and services regardless
of which agency provides them.
(3) Trade Budget. The Export Promotion Cabinet
shall, in consultation with the TPCC:
(a) evaluate the allocation of Federal Government resources to assist with
trade financing, negotiation, enforcement, and promotion, as well as the
encouragement of foreign investment in the United States, and identify
potential savings from streamlining overlapping or duplicative programs, as
well as areas in need of additional resources;
(b) make recommendations to the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for more effective resource allocation to these functions,
consistent with my Administration's strategic trade and investment goals
and priorities, including recommendations to streamline overlapping and
duplicative programs and reallocate those resources; and
(c) present to the Director of OMB for consideration in the annual process
for developing the President's Budget, a proposed unified Federal trade
budget, consistent with my Administration's strategic trade and investment
goals and priorities.
(4) Coordination of Offices and Staff. The Export
Promotion Cabinet, in consultation with the TPCC, shall
take steps to ensure the most efficient use of its
members' domestic and foreign offices and distribution
networks, including: co-locating offices wherever
appropriate; cross-training staff to better serve
business customers at home and abroad by promoting
exports to foreign countries and foreign investment in
the United States; and considering the effectiveness of
commercial diplomacy, cross-training, and referrals, as
appropriate, when evaluating employee performance.
(5) Enhancing Business Competitiveness. Pending
passage of legislation providing Consolidation
Authority, the Export Promotion Cabinet shall work with
the National Economic Council to develop and coordinate
administrative initiatives to align and enhance
programs that enable and support efforts by American
businesses, particularly small businesses, to innovate,
grow, and increase exports.
(6) General Provisions (a) This memorandum shall be
implemented consistent with applicable law and subject
to the availability of appropriations.
(b) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise
affect:
(i) authority granted by law to a department or agency, or the head
thereof; or
[[Page 10937]]
(ii) functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary,
administrative, or legislative proposals.
(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or
benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any
party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities,
its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
(d) The Director of OMB is hereby authorized and directed to publish this
memorandum in the Federal Register.
(Presidential Sig.)
THE WHITE HOUSE,
Washington, February 17, 2012
[FR Doc. 2012-4438
Filed 2-22-12; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3110-01-P