Memphis Standard

U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Brian Schatz have introduced the Cultural Trade Promotion Act of 2025, a bipartisan effort aimed at strengthening America's creative industries and expanding cultural exports. This legislation seeks to enhance the reach of U.S. businesses, including Native-owned, small, and rural enterprises, into global markets while creating jobs and bolstering America's international influence amid rising competition from China.

Senator Blackburn emphasized the need for support in exporting products from creative entrepreneurs in Tennessee: "We cannot allow China to continue to outpace the United States in overall cultural exports," she stated. The proposed act aims to improve access to international shipping services for small businesses as part of its strategy.

Senator Schatz highlighted the importance of maintaining America's leadership in the creative economy: "America’s creative industries are a powerful force, driving jobs at home and shaping perceptions of our country abroad," he said. He noted that China has been increasing its efforts to promote cultural exports while the U.S. has lagged behind.

China's expansion in cultural trade over the past decade has been supported by government investments and initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative. In 2014, China surpassed the U.S. in overall cultural exports, with America’s surplus declining significantly from $31.5 billion in 2019 to $17.8 billion in 2021 before slightly recovering to $21 billion in 2022, according to data from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Cultural Trade Promotion Act proposes several measures including directing the Foreign Commercial Service to promote U.S. creative goods abroad and mandating that the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee incorporate creative economy considerations into its strategic planning. It also seeks collaboration between agencies like the International Trade Administration and U.S. Postal Service to improve shipping services for small businesses, promote products from American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian-owned enterprises, and include a representative from creative industries on an advisory board within the Department of Commerce.