News release: U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez spoke about the importance of trade—and its role in ensuring our nation’s future prosperity at a Small Business Administration (SBA) trade symposium. “Exports were $1 trillion in 2001. At present rates, America’s exports will be approaching $2 trillion this year… and exports account for essentially all the growth in our economy so far this year,” Gutierrez said. An important step that will give our economy the stimulus it urgently needs would be passing the three pending free trade agreements before Congress, especially Colombia.