Today’s Presidential signing ceremony of the “Manufacturing Enhancement Act of 2010″ is an important recognition of America’s need to improve manufacturing jobs. While we applaud the bill, it is only one small step to leveling the playing field for equipment manufacturers that seek to export American-made products for the benefit of our nation’s economy. Today’s news that the U.S. trade deficit widened to an unexpected high in June is all the more reason for Congress to take immediate action on substantive manufacturing policies.

Some people believe that passing a free trade agreement months before the mid-term election is politically risky. More risky, however, is delaying the opportunity for American farmers and manufacturers to create jobs in the U.S. by exporting their products to new markets around the world. One very direct way to do this is by passing the pending free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Columbia.