Former Gov. Chris Gregoire and former governor of Massachusetts Deval Patrick had an op-ed in the Seattle Times on April 13 on the importance of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The TPP is a free trade agreement being negotiated by the U.S. and 11 other countries. On Thursday, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee agreed on a compromise that would give President Obama trade promotion authority. This is an important tool for the administration because it means that a negotiated trade agreement faces an up-or-down vote from Congress. Gregoire and Patrick write about why this is a good thing:

The economic case for trade-promotion authority is clear. As governors, we’ve seen firsthand the positive impact of trade on jobs, small businesses and local economies. Ninety-five percent of the world’s markets are beyond our borders, and every $1 billion the United States exports supports between 5,200 and 7,000 jobs here at home. In both Massachusetts and Washington state, that means helping businesses large and small — from major consumer services to manufacturers of bicycle parts or specialty equipment — connect their made-in-America products to new customers overseas. And as they grow their companies, they can secure existing jobs and create new ones as well.

Many extol the virtues of exports, but imports are also a key component of trade. The National Retail Federation has a report out today highlighting that point:

Imports are particularly important for Washington retail jobs. Trade agreements and programs that reduce barriers and taxes on imports lower the costs of goods sold by retailers, which will lift sales, grow the economy and create jobs.

Some facts from the report:

• Retail and restaurants contributed $35.7 billion to Washington’s economy in 2013.
• For every 1,000 retail jobs in Washington, another 404 are created in other sectors.
• Trade supported 147,000 retail and restaurant jobs in Washington in 2013. (That’s 16 percent of Washington’s trade-related jobs.)

As the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board notes,

With the world’s economies hitting stiff headwinds, more free trade is the one big lever available to produce a lift for consumers, job-seekers and entrepreneurs.

Gregoire and Patrick seem to agree:

As progressives, we believe the best thing we can do to expand opportunity in America is to grow the economy. Supporting free and fair trade is a means to that end.