SLS 20RS-673 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 18
BY SENATOR JOHNS AND REPRESENTATI VE DAVIS
SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH. Recognizes April 7, 2020, as "World Trade Day",
celebrates the influence of international commerce on the state's economic health, vitality,
and growth, and expresses support for the mission of the World Trade Center of New
Orleans and trade policies that benefit American consumers and businesses, and ensures that
the U.S. remains competitive in global commerce.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To recognize Tuesday, April 7, 2020, as the first annual "World Trade Day" at the state
3 capitol; to celebrate the longstanding, indispensable influence of international
4 commerce on Louisiana's economic health, vitality, and growth; to express support
5 for the mission of the World Trade Center of New Orleans; for trade policies that
6 benefit American consumers and businesses, and to ensure the United States remains
7 competitive in global commerce.
8 WHEREAS, Louisiana is home to the world's first World Trade Center, which
9 originated as the "International House" in New Orleans more than seventy-five years ago in
10 1943, and has since inspired a global network of over three hundred world trade centers in
11 more than one hundred countries; and
12 WHEREAS, the World Trade Center of New Orleans, a nonprofit organization, is
13 committed to fostering economic development throughout the state of Louisiana by
14 advocating for international trade objectives that bolster efficiencies, opportunities, and
15 innovations for commerce; and
16 WHEREAS, having increased exports by sixty-one percent from 2008 to 2018,
17 Louisiana is the fifth largest state exporter of goods in the United States, and Louisiana
18 exports currently account for more than one quarter of the state's total economic output; and
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SLS 20RS-673 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, the latest available data from the United States Trade Representative
2 shows that Louisiana exports support an estimated 129,000 jobs and that such jobs pay up
3 to 18 percent above the national average; and
4 WHEREAS, Louisiana produces the majority of U.S. LNG exported globally, and
5 according to LSU's Center for Energy Studies, Louisiana LNG projects could total nearly
6 $100 billion in capital investment and add 20,000 new construction jobs and 1,500 new
7 full-time jobs at Louisiana terminals once completed; and
8 WHEREAS, key economic-driving and job-creating industries in the state, including
9 aerospace, agribusiness, automotive, energy, manufacturing, and process industries, rely on
10 international commerce; and
11 WHEREAS, Louisiana's geographical positioning allows the state to take unique
12 advantage of the Mississippi River to enhance competitiveness in global trade, making
13 current and future investment in the infrastructure of the Mississippi essential to continued
14 commercial success; and
15 WHEREAS, Louisiana ports are among the highest-performing in the country, with
16 the following ports designated as national "power ports": Port of South Louisiana (No. 1),
17 Port of New Orleans (No. 4), Port of Baton Rouge (No. 8), Plaquemines Port (No. 11), and
18 Port of Lake Charles (No. 12); and
19 WHEREAS, Louisiana has the tactical advantage of being the only state with a
20 deepwater port (Port of New Orleans) served by six of the seven Class I railroads, which
21 comprise a 132,000 plus mile network of track and tie the port community and local
22 industries directly to every major North American market; and
23 WHEREAS, the world recognizes Louisiana as a key trade and investment
24 destination for international companies, with the state attracting more foreign direct
25 investment per capita than any other since 2008; and
26 WHEREAS, the state of Louisiana formally acknowledged the essential role of trade
27 in 2012 by establishing the Louisiana Board of International Commerce to advance the
28 state's competitive position in the global marketplace through continued attraction of foreign
29 and domestic investment and enhancement of the state's trade-based economy.
30 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
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SLS 20RS-673 ORIGINAL
1 recognize Tuesday, April 7, 2020, as "World Trade Day" at the state capitol, celebrates the
2 longstanding, indispensable influence of international commerce on Louisiana's economic
3 health, vitality, and growth, and expresses support for the mission of the World Trade Center
4 of New Orleans and for trade policies that benefit American consumers and businesses and
5 ensure the United States remains competitive in global commerce.
6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
7 secretary of the United States Senate, the clerk of the United States House of
8 Representatives, each member of the Louisiana delegation to the Congress of the United
9 States, and the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
10 Congress of the United States.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jerry J. Guillot.
DIGEST
SCR 18 Original 2020 Regular Session Johns
Recognizes April 7, 2020, as "World Trade Day" at the state capitol, celebrates the influence
of international commerce on Louisiana's economic health, vitality, and growth, and
expresses support for the mission of the World Trade Center of New Orleans and for trade
policies that benefit American consumers and businesses and ensure the U.S. remains
competitive in global commerce.
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