commerce

Cites Chamber President Donohue’s own track record as director of scandal-ridden companies

November 2, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. – Change to Win (CtW) Chair Anna Burger today called on members of the House Committee on Financial Services to reject the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s less than credible rhetoric and to approve the Waters/Peters Amendment to the Investor Protection Act of 2009 in this Wednesday’s vote. The Waters/Peters amendment affirms the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) authority to adopt a uniform proxy access rule.    » read more »

Fact Sheet

October 29, 2009 -- U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, together with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan, co-chaired the 20th JCCT in Hangzhou, China, on October 28-29, 2009. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack also participated. Other participants included U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) Acting Director Leocadia Zak, and representatives from the Treasury and State Departments.    » read more »

HANGZHOU, Oct. 29, 2009 - China agreed today to reopen its market to U.S. pork and live swine, remove barriers for American firms to China's growing clean energy market, and clamp down on Internet piracy at the 20th session of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) in Hangzhou, China, co-chaired by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk along with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack led the discussions on key agricultural issues.    » read more »

October 14, 2009 -- WASHINGTON—The U.S. Commerce Department’s Census Bureau today released retail sales for September 2009. Retail sales fell 1.5 percent, primarily reflecting a 10.4 percent decline in motor vehicle sales. The drop in total sales was smaller than the decrease of 2.1 percent expected by private analysts.

Gasoline sales rose 1.1 percent, and sales excluding motor vehicles and gasoline increased 0.4 percent. In the third quarter as a whole, total retail sales rose 6.4 percent at an annual rate, and sales excluding the volatile motor vehicle and gasoline components rose 0.6 percent.    » read more »

October 12, 2009 -- WILMINGTON – Delaware Governor Jack Markell on Monday encouraged Delaware’s business leaders to play an even larger part in turning our economy around by serving as “eyes and ears” for the state’s economic development officials.

Business owners, Markell told the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce and the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce, should let state officials know when they hear of businesses interested in expanding or relocating in Delaware, and they should also raise a red flag when they hear of fellow business owners who are running into governmental red tape.    » read more »

July 1, 2009 -- HONOLULU – Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle vetoed HB 1405 today because this legislation has immediate and adverse consequences for residents and businesses of Hawaii. This legislation would place Hawaii companies at a competitive disadvantage. As a consequence of this bill, Hawaii businesses would no longer be able to receive commissions for advertisements on their website that link to numerous national and international firms that offer goods and services to Hawaii residents.    » read more »

May 12, 2009 -- WASHINGTON—U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke issued the following statement on the release of the March 2009 U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services report by the Commerce Department’s U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Today’s report showed that U.S. exports decreased by 2.4 percent to $123.6 billion since February 2009. Imports decreased 1.0 percent to $151.2 billion. Overall, the trade deficit grew 5.5 percent during the same time period.    » read more »

May 13, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke hosted a meeting with South Korea’s Minister for Trade Kim Jong-Hoon at the Commerce Department today. This was the first meeting between Minister Kim and Secretary Locke.

Secretary Locke and Minister Kim recognized the importance of the $83 billion in goods trade between the two countries in 2008. They expressed support for continuing to deepen cooperation on trade and investment issues.    » read more »

April 22, 2009 -- Washington, D.C.--As President Obama heads off to Iowa to visit a wind turbine factory, the House Energy & Commerce Committee begins its second day of hearings on its clean energy jobs plan, the America Clean Energy and Security Act. Hearings began yesterday with opening statements from Members. Today's hearing will feature three panels:

* Administration Officials: EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Energy Steven Chu, and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
* U.S. Climate Action Partnership: Corporate officials from Duke Energy, NRG, ConocoPhillips, Alcoa, and DuPont, as well as Frances Beinecke, President of the Natural Resources Defense Council.    » read more »