WHEREAS, Washington State has a vital interest in promoting positive international relations and in developing our international trade market share; and
     WHEREAS, Increasing international trade opportunities in Washington State will result in job creation; and
     WHEREAS, Grant County International Airport has nearly one hundred million dollars of infrastructure improvements invested at its Grant County International Airport/Moses Lake air cargo facilities, industrial parks, and roads, creating an important resource that could be used to attract foreign trade, especially with trading partners such as the People's Republic of China; and
     WHEREAS, The Grant County International Airport/Moses Lake air cargo facility has the largest commercial runway in the Pacific Northwest; and
     WHEREAS, Grant County International Airport/Moses Lake air cargo facilities can serve as a primary foreign trade distribution center for the United States and far eastern air freight carriers moving air cargo into and out of the United States; and
     WHEREAS, Grant County, the City of Moses Lake, and the Port of Moses Lake together stand in strong support of the Grant County International Airport/Moses Lake air cargo facilities as a primary foreign trade distribution center; and
     WHEREAS, The citizens of the State of Washington, local businesses, and community and civic groups recognize the benefits of international trade and support the effort to establish a primary foreign trade distribution center for the Pacific Northwest at the Grant County International Airport/Moses Lake;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate of the state of Washington strongly encourage the advancement of our state's market share of international trade by promoting the Grant County International Airport/Moses Lake air cargo facilities as a key foreign trade distribution center for air cargo trade into and out of the Pacific Northwest.