Golden State Today: Rep. Young Kim introduces BOOST Act to support American businesses abroad – Golden State Today
Congresswoman Young Kim introduced the Building Overseas Opportunities & Strategic Trade (BOOST) for American Business Act on May 29 to support American businesses operating internationally and protect critical industries from foreign adversaries, including the Chinese Communist Party.
The legislation aims to address challenges faced by U.S. companies in global markets by establishing a team of economic officers at U.S. embassies worldwide. These officers would work to open opportunities for American firms and promote U.S. economic interests overseas.
“U.S. businesses are competing for America on the world stage. They deserve a team that goes to bat for them,” said Rep. Young Kim. “The BOOST for American Business Act empowers our embassies to strategically advocate for American companies, open doors in foreign markets, and defend U.S. economic interests abroad. As Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific, I have seen firsthand that economic security is national security. This bill helps ensure America leads the global economy while advancing President Trump’s America First agenda of prosperity, competitiveness, and strength for American workers and businesses.”
Key provisions of the bill include creating a specialized Foreign Service track that recruits officers with private-sector expertise; building a workforce trained in commercial advocacy; expanding hiring authorities with a goal of reaching 500 commercial diplomacy officers by 2028; improving coordination between the Departments of State and Commerce; and elevating economic diplomacy as a national security priority.
