US Government Links

US Government links

• African Growth and Opportunity Act
  The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) was signed into law on May 18, 2000 as Title 1 of The Trade and Development Act of 2000. The Act offers tangible incentives for African countries to continue their efforts to open their economies and build free markets.
• Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
  The Overseas Private Investment Corporation is an independent U.S. Government agency that sells investment services to assist U.S. companies investing in some 140 emerging economies around the world. A self-sustaining government corporation with current reserves of more than $3 billion, OPIC assists U.S. private investment overseas because it is in America's economic and strategic interest.
• The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank)
  Ex-Im Bank is an independent US Government agency that helps finance the overseas sales of US goods and services. For more than 60 years, Ex-Im Bank has supported more than $300 billion in US exports. Ex-Im Bank's mission is to create jobs through exports. It provides gurantees of working capital loans for US. exporters, and it guarantees the repayment of loans or makes loans to foreign purchasers of US goods and services. Ex-Im Bank also provides credit insurance that protects US exporters against the risks of non-payment by foreign buyers for political or commercial reasons.
• The Library of Congress Homepage
  The Library of Congress Homepage provides access to databases and market information from around the world. At the home page select, "Government Information", and then choose either "Foriegn Government" or "International Government Information."
• The US International Trade Commission
  The USITC is an independent, quasi-judicial federal agency that provides objective trade expertise to both the legislative and executive branches of government, determines the impact of imports on US industries, and directs actions aginst certain unfair trade practices, such as patent, trademark, and copyright infringement. USITC analysts and economists investigate and publish reports on US industries and the global trends that affect them. The agency also updates and publishes the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.
• The US Small Business Administration
  The US Small Business Administration, established in 1953, provides financial, technical and management assistance to help Americans start, run, and grow their businesses. With a portfolio of business loans, loan guarantees and disaster loans worth more than $45 billion, SBA is the nation's largest single financial backer of small businesses. America's 23 million small businesses employ more than 50 percent of the private workforce, generate more than half of the nation's gross domestic product, and are the principal source of new jobs in the US economy.
• United States Trade Representative
  The USTR is responsible for developing and coordinating US international trade, commodity and direct investment policy, and leading or directing negotiations with countries on such matters. The USTR web site includes reports on current trade issues, for example, Special 301, US-Japan reports and studies on emerging markets and prepared speeches by Ambassador Mickey Kantor and Acting USTR Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky.
• US Agency for International Development: The Center for Trade & Investment Services
  The Center for Trade & Investment Services acts as a central point of contact at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the US business community and as a vital link with the developing countries USAID serves. USAID plays an important role in developing markets and creating economic opportunities for US companies in the developing world, and is a valuable source of commercially relevant information about developing country economies.
• US Customs
  This section provides an overview of importing and exporting issues related to the US Customs Service. You will find links with information on duty rates, HTS, rulings and regulations, small importer, publications and forms.
• US Department of Commerce
  The US Department of Commerce web site includes an on-line calendar of significant Commerce happenings; including news reports, press releases, conference announcements and access to on-line data bases.
• US Trade and Development Agency
  The U.S. Trade and Development Agency assists in the creation of jobs for Americans by helping U.S. companies pursue overseas business opportunities. Through the funding of feasibility studies, orientation visits, specialized training grants, business workshops, and various forms of technical assistance, we enable American businesses to compete for infrastructure and industrial projects in middle-income and developing countries.