Creating Jobs Through Exports and Innovation: 9 Steps Congress Can Take to Foster Sustainable Job Creation

With unemployment north of 10 percent, there is renewed interest in a job creation agenda. But many of the proposals put forth to date overlook two key sources of job growth going forward: exports and innovation. An increase in sales from exports creates twice as many jobs as a dollar in sales from domestic demand, and jobs in technology firms can spur greater multipliers, creating even more jobs. Moreover, exporting firms pay 9 percent more than jobs in firms that export less while jobs in technology industries pay 90 percent more than other jobs. This ITIF WebMemo proposes nine ideas that can drive not only job growth in the short run, but competitiveness and innovation in the long run.

• Stop defending the dollar.
• Expand funding for trade enforcement at