U.S. Department of Commerce

Bureau of Industry and Security

Update 2014 Conference

Video Message from Penny Pritzker

VIDEO MESSAGE FROM PENNY PRITZKER

Speaker Identification:
EH: Eric Hirschhorn
PP: Penny Pritzker

EH: Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. It's great to see you all here again for the second day of the conference, we didn't scare too many off by the end of the first day, and that's great. For those who don't remember me from yesterday or who slept in yesterday, I'm Eric Hirschhorn and I'm the Under Secretary for Industry and Security at the Department of Commerce.

I am privileged this afternoon to introduce not one but two Keynote Speakers. The reason for the double bill is that our Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker is in India today participating in the strategic dialogue between the United States and that important partner.

In the year since she was confirmed as Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker has been a vigorous and inspirational leader for our department, as well as a pleasure to work with.

She's a persistent and forceful advocate for our country's economic and national security interests. When she spoke to this conference a year ago in her first major speech after becoming Secretary, she conveyed the President's continued strong support for Export Control Reform and promised to put her shoulder to the wheel as well.

She has kept that promise in every respect – Secretary Pritzker.

PP: Good afternoon and welcome to the 27th Annual BIS Update Conference.

Thank you Eric for your introduction, for your strong leadership of the Bureau of Industry and Security, and for your team's commitment to advancing the President's Export Control Reform Initiative.

I am so sorry that I cannot join this year's event in person, but I do want to reiterate the message I delivered at our last gathering. Our department is focused on Export Control Reform that strengthens our national security and promotes our economic competitiveness.

One year ago we still had a long way to go to meet our objectives. The Department of State and Commerce had published just six categories in final form and none had taken effect. However, I told you that I could see the finish line for the centerpiece of our reform effort, the massive list review process. Today we are even closer to our goal, 15 categories have been published in the Federal Register, and the remaining categories will be drafted by the end of the year. In the meantime our export statistics already reflect the movement of less significant military items from the State Department to the Commerce Control List, and the delivery of those products to our 36 closest allies.

More remains to be done, to update our lists and to advance our pledge of a strong and sensible export control system. We are committed to seeing this initiative through, and as I said last year to fulfilling the promise of reform, but we cannot complete this task alone.

We will continue to need the assistance and support of all of you in the exporting community, we will rely on you to supplement BIS's outreach efforts by educating your vendors, your customers, and your own employees. We want your help in insuring that all stakeholders fully understand their export control responsibilities.

Working together I know we will reach and cross the finish line once and for all. I am confident we will realize the President's vision for Export Control Reform, to streamline the process for exporters at home and our allies abroad, to direct our resources where they will do the most good. To create a 21st Century Export Control System that supports both our national security and our economy.

Thank you all for your partnership and support in making progress towards our goals and in keeping America both safe and strong.