The Consumer Technology Association (CTA)™ today congratulates Reps. Erik Paulsen (R-MN) and Suzan DelBene (D-WA) on launching the bipartisan Congressional Digital Trade Caucus. The caucus will pursue shared objectives to promote a national trade policy that ensures continued U.S. leadership in the global digital economy and opposes restrictive digital policies abroad.

"The internet and our nation's leadership in technology and innovation are under threat abroad like never before. The Congressional Digital Trade Caucus can stand at the forefront of our efforts to fight back," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA. "It will help ensure that the administration's stated goal of strengthening trade agreements - for instance by adding provisions on cross border data flows, fair use and intermediary liability protections - will become a new standard for negotiations. U.S. trade policy must be inclusive and create opportunities not only for large companies, but small businesses and workers in all industries. Reps. Paulsen and DelBene recognize the role technology plays in creating opportunities for entrepreneurs to reach global markets and enabling workers to improve their skills. U.S. innovation, economic growth, advanced manufacturing and job creation depends on American companies' ability to easily access new markets abroad."

More than 1.5 million American jobs rely on tech exports, which generated $379 billion, or 17 percent of total U.S. exports in 2015, according to CTA's U.S. Economic Contribution of the Consumer Technology Sector Report.