From 1997-2006, U.S. state governors led more than ve hundred trade missions to foreign countries. Trade missions are potentially a form of public investment in export promotion. I create a theory of public investment by introducing government to a Melitz (2003)-Chaney (2008) trade model....

The pattern of U.S. state exports to foreign destination--which states export which goods to which destinations|has not been studied in detail despite the high profile of exports in the public consciousness. Currently there is not a clear description of facts characterizing exports for all...