Emergency Committee For American Trade

ECAT Presents 2009 Trade and Investment Leadership Awards to Senators Patty Murray and Mike Johanns

News Release

For Immediate Release

March 4, 2009

Contact: Liz Clemons

202.659.5147

ECAT PRESENTS 2009 AWARDS TO SENATORS PATTY MURRAY, MIKE JOHANNS

Chairman Harold McGraw praises honorees; urges Congress to open markets, resist protectionist measures

Washington, D.C., March 4, 2009: The Emergency Committee for American Trade (ECAT) presented its 2009 ECAT Trade and Investment Leadership Awards to Senator Patty Murray of Washington and Senator Mike Johanns of Nebraska for their work in opening new markets through strong pro-growth international trade and investment policies.

“Implementing effective trade and investment policies is more important than ever,” said Harold McGraw III, Chairman, President and CEO of The McGraw-Hill Companies and Chairman of ECAT. “It is important not only because of the potential growth opportunities, but also because of the positive impact on American jobs.”

At the ECAT Awards event at the Folger Shakespeare Library, Mr. McGraw urged Congress and the Administration to help jumpstart America’s economic recovery while resisting calls for protectionist barriers against imports.

“We are seeing positive signs in the first few weeks of the new Administration including passage of strong expansion and reform of Trade Adjustment Assistance as part of the economic stimulus package,” Mr. McGraw noted. “We need to build on that development by pursuing new and reinvigorated initiatives to open markets and expand international trade and investment.”

In presenting the ECAT Trade and Investment Leadership Awards, Mr. McGraw said, “Tonight, we honor two people whose tenacity, hard work and vision have been critical to the formation and implementation of trade policies that are squarely in the United States’ interest.”

In presenting the ECAT award to Senator Patty Murray, Mr. McGraw stated:

“We applaud Senator Murray’s consistent leadership on strong trade policies that open markets and benefit American workers, businesses and communities.”

In presenting the ECAT award, Mr. McGraw said of Senator Mike Johanns, who could not attend the awards dinner:

“We honor Senator Johanns for his tireless efforts to open foreign markets and to promote exports of U.S. farm products, goods and services.”

Mr. McGraw reiterated ECAT’s strong support for a successful conclusion to the World Trade Organization’s Doha Development Agenda negotiations and Congressional approval this year of the pending U.S. trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and Korea. He outlined ECAT’s support for ensuring the rule of law is applied globally and consistently and noted ECAT’s support for strong standards for protection of investment overseas. He also called on ECAT members to engage their employees in educating the public and policymakers about how selling their products and services around the world benefits them and their local communities.

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Founded in 1967, ECAT is an organization of the heads of leading U.S. international business enterprises representing all major sectors of the American economy. Their annual worldwide sales total over $2.8 trillion and they employ more than six million persons. ECAT’s purpose is to promote economic growth through the expansion of international trade and investment.

Attached Document(s): 03-04-09 ECAT Presents 2009 Awards.pdf