The U.S. is a Trading Nation; Many Benefit, What About Those Who Don’t?

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Date: Wednesday, September 14, 2016 -12:00pm to 1:30pm

Location: U.S. Capitol Visitor Center – Room 201-00, First St & E Capitol St NE, Washington, DC 20515

Policy Event Summary: download file

Decades of trade liberalization have been good for the U.S. economy evidenced through growth of GDP and jobs. Yet, “trade” is often a four-letter word in political discourse because despite low unemployment overall, there is wage stagnation and examples abound in certain sectors of the economy of American worker displacement due to import competition and offshore outsourcing. What concrete steps can be taken to help U.S. workers who are adversely affected by globalization and trade? Trade adjustment assistance has been one answer but not an adequate one. How can government at all levels, higher education, and business develop workable solutions to provide job training, career counseling, other services and transitional support, and new jobs? This panel discussion was moderated by J. Robert Vastine, Senior Industry Fellow, Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy.

Panelists included:

  • Gerri Fiala, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor
  • Daniel Ikenson, Director, Herbert A. Stiefel Center for Trade Policy Studies, CATO Institute
  • William Reinsch, Distinguished Fellow, Stimson Center
  • Jeffrey Schott, Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics
  • Jayme White, Chief Advisor on International Competitiveness and Innovation, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance

This seminar is part of the Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy’s Georgetown on the Hill series at which we convene policymakers, academics, and industry experts to discuss important economic policy issues of the day.