REMARKS AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY SANDY K. BARUAH ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF COMMERCE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - EDA INVESTMENT CHECK PRESENTATION - PORT OF HOOD RIVER, OREGON

MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2008

AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY

Introduced by Fred Duckwall, President, Hood River Port Commission…

Thank you, Commissioner Duckwall, for that kind introduction and for your efforts in helping make the project we celebrate today a reality.

Congressman Walden, thank you for being here and for inviting me to join you today in your hometown of Hood River and my home state of Oregon. Your efforts in bringing this project to fruition were invaluable and I appreciate your commitment to creating jobs and economic opportunity here in Oregon and across the nation. I thank you for your leadership.

I’d also like to thank Mayor Linda Streich (Strike) and her team for their hard work on this project and for recognizing the need to look beyond the current economic horizon to generate long-term economic growth and job creation in Hood River.

I know that Senators Smith and Wyden would have loved to be here today, but we are fortunate to have representatives from their offices here today.

It’s a pleasure to be here today in the City of Hood River representing President George W. Bush.

As you know, economic development works best when it is a locally-driven process – local people coming together for the common good to take control of their economic destiny. That’s what we’re celebrating this afternoon.

As we celebrate your efforts to strengthen the economy in the Hood River and the Columbia Gorge region, it is important to understand what’s happening at the national level. After all, it is difficult for a region to grow without a strong national economy, and our national economy can’t be strong without growing regional economies. It’s a symbiotic relationship.

While economic growth is slower than we would like it to be, it is still growing, with GDP increasing 2.2% last year. One of the reasons for this continued economic strength is our success in exporting American goods and services.

International trade has always been important to economic development; it is becoming increasingly important in the 21st century, which is why it’s such a key element of President Bush’s pro-growth agenda.

In 2007, American companies and workers scored a record-breaking $1.6 trillion in goods and services exports, 12% over the record in 2006. This is more than any country at any time in history.

Here in Oregon, exports in 2007 totaled nearly $17 billion, up 59% from the 2003 level of $10 billion. Oregon companies are selling their goods and services in 200 foreign countries.

Exports support millions of U.S. jobs, which on average pay a higher wage than non-export related jobs. And with 95% of the world’s customers living outside the U.S., there is plenty of room to further strengthen U.S. exports and create more higher-skill, higher-wage jobs.

And a key tool to grow exports is Free trade Agreements – FTAs. This is why the Bush Administration is working so hard to enact FTAs, and why adapting to and succeeding in the worldwide marketplace is so important to Oregonians.

Thanks in a large part to our export strength, the economy is still growing. This is important not just for the nation, but for the Columbia Gorge region as well – because a strong and resilient national economy, based on free trade, provides the folks in this region a better opportunity to export and realize economic growth right here at home. It takes both smart national policies and forward looking regional initiatives to ensure that the American dream reaches all parts of our great nation – and we are celebrating both here today.

Of course, a little help from the Federal government can’t hurt. And today, I have the distinct pleasure to announce a $500,000 Economic Development Administration investment to the Port of Hood River and the City of Hood River. The investment will help build roadway improvements to the Port of Hood River that will improve the flow of commercial traffic, which, in turn, will encourage business expansions and help attract new businesses and jobs to the region.

So now, if I could please have Congressman Walden join me to formally present the check to President Duckwall, Mayor Streich (Strike), Executive Director Michael McElwee (MIC-el-wee), and City Manager Bob Francis.

On behalf of President George Bush, it is my pleasure to present you with this check for $500,000.

Congratulations…

Accepting the check is Commissioner Duckwall, Mayor Streich, Port of Hood River Executive Director Michael McElwee, and City Manager Bob Francis.

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