WASHINGTON D.C. - Majority Leader Harry Reid today announced the appointment of U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to the President's Export Council, the principal national advisory committee on international trade. Brown is a leading congressional voice on trade issues, and has introduced legislation that provides for a thorough review of our trade agreements and their impact on American wages and jobs.

"An aggressive export strategy will help revitalize American manufacturing," Brown said. "Ohio's entrepreneurs and business owners produce high-quality goods and cutting-edge technologies that should be sold around the world. As we rebuild our economy, we need to ensure that our nation's companies have access to a global market. That means we enforce trade laws and help American manufacturers export to new markets. This will help small businesses generate sales, create jobs, and strengthen communities across our state. "

According to the Small Business Administration (SBA), companies that export products experience faster annual growth, pay higher wages to employees, and are more likely to stay in business. President Obama has introduced the National Export Initiative, with the goal of doubling American exports within the next five years.

Sen. Brown is the Chair of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Economic Policy and a vocal advocate for trade deficit reduction. In January 2010, Brown convened more than 100 Ohio business leaders, including Export-Import Bank Chairman Fred Hochberg, to discuss how an aggressive export strategy can grow new jobs and accelerate economic development. In Nov. 2009, Brown introduced the Trade Reform, Accountability, Development, and Employment (TRADE) Act which would require a review of our trade agreements and set forth principles on labor, the environment, and food and product safety. He also introduced the Trade Enforcement Priorities Act of 2009 and the Reciprocal Market Access Act of 2009 to empower the United States Trade Representative - the president's primary trade negotiator - to ensure meaningful market access for U.S. products before lowering U.S. tariffs.

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