U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke Statement on Trade Numbers

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke issued the following statement on the release of the July 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 increased by 2.2 percent to $127.6 billion since June 2009. Imports increased 4.7 percent to $159.6 billion.

“July is the third consecutive month that exports of goods and services have increased,” Locke said. “We’re encouraged by the signs of stabilization in the trade of U.S. goods and services represented by today’s report, but we must remain diligent in our efforts to improve our competitiveness and innovation, and get American workers back on the job.”