‘Congress must reaffirm its commitment to an invigorated Colombia and, in the process, help our own economy at a difficult economic moment’



Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday regarding the Colombia Free Trade Agreement:



“Today the Administration sought to strengthen America’s ties with an already-close ally by moving forward with the Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Now it’s up to Congress to pass this important legislation.



“The Colombia Free Trade Agreement is more than an act of friendship between allies. It would strengthen our security and strengthen our economy. And it would send a strong and unmistakable signal to our other allies in Latin America that the U.S. stands with those who support strong markets and free societies, especially in the face of threats.



“Colombia’s support for free markets and democratic reform under President Uribe has made it an even stronger ally of the U.S. in recent years — and a sharp contrast to neighboring Venezuela. We cannot allow election-year politics here in the U.S. to make a resurgent Colombia more vulnerable to its anti-American neighbor.



“America got a close-up of Venezuela’s dictator at the U.N., when he likened an American president to the Devil and predicted America’s demise. His anti-Americanism has not softened since that speech. Nor has the threat that Hugo Chavez poses to regional stability.



“Chavez is a corrosive influence in South America. He embraces state sponsors of terrorism, such as Iran. And he’s aggressively courting likeminded leaders of other Latin American countries in an effort to draw a line in the sand between himself and his allies and America and its allies.



“Most Latin American leaders, like President Uribe, know that allying themselves with Chavez is harmful in the long run. Unfortunately, Uribe’s government has been severely tested by Chavez and his allies.



“Ecuador supports terrorist proxies in Colombia. And Chavez has made it quite clear that he supports Ecuador’s efforts when he recently sent troops to the Colombian border.



“Colombia has made tremendous progress. Not long ago, it appeared on the verge of collapse. Entire regions of the country were ungovernable. Yet President Uribe, to his great credit, has pulled the country back from the brink.



“The Colombia Free Trade Agreement is an important acknowledgment of the strides Colombia has made. And its passage would send a strong signal that America is committed to Colombia’s continued success and the success of our other allies in the region.



“Just as importantly, the Colombia Free Trade Agreement would strengthen the U.S. economy at a time when Americans are searching for some economic good news.



“Some seem to think our economy can somehow grow without trading partners; that we’re best served if we trade only with ourselves. The opposite is true: America needs trading partners to buy the goods that are made here.



“This is especially true where there’s an imbalance in market access. And the imbalance between the U.S. and Colombia is stark.



“Today, more than 90 percent of Colombian exports to the U.S. enter our country duty free, even as American exporters face steep barriers to selling American-made goods to Colombia.



“Democrats and Republicans agreed that it was important for Colombian exporters to enjoy the benefits of increased access to our markets; why would we not want to give American products made by American workers the same opportunities we’re giving Colombians?



“The current situation is unfair. Today, virtually all U.S. farm goods are slapped with tariffs on their way to Colombia, while virtually all Colombian farm goods enter the U.S. without any tariffs at all.



“The beneficiary of this arrangement is clear, and it’s not U.S. workers or the economy they support. We hear a lot of rhetoric about the need for fair trade. Permitting equal access to Colombian markets is the very essence of fair trade. And that is what this FTA would do.



“Looking at my own state, more than one sixth of all manufacturing jobs rely on exports. Kentucky exports about $15 billion in manufactured goods every year, including $67 million in exports to Colombia last year, a figure that’s all but certain to go up under this agreement.



“In these economic times, we should be expanding overseas markets for American-made products and American-grown goods.



“Some have argued that labor conditions in Colombia are reason not to support the Colombia Free Trade Agreement.



“This is a red herring.



“How does maintaining high tariffs on U.S. goods shipped to Colombia reduce violence against unions?



“How does rejecting an ally that has helped reduce homicides against union members by 79 percent improve trade union safety?



“Even the Washington Post — no bastion of conservatism — has called the issue 'bogus.'



“And today, the LA Times said the same thing, noting that pressure from human rights groups and labor organizations has prompted Colombia ‘to already do what Democrats in Congress have urged: improve the country's dismal labor record.’



“If senators truly want to help Colombia's union members they need to vote for this agreement, reward Colombia for its improvements in this area, and encourage Colombia to draw even closer to the U.S.



“I would close by noting that this FTA comes nearly a year after an agreement was struck between the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Democratic Leadership and the House Ways & Means Committee on a plan to move forward with FTAs this Congress.



“The deal stated that in return for USTR negotiating unprecedented new labor and environmental standards, House Democrats would proceed with FTAs for Peru, Panama, Korea and Colombia. USTR did its part. Yet the Democratic Congress has yet to live up to its end of the bargain. So far, only the Peru FTA has been passed.



“We should reject an isolationism that limits economic growth and stunts job creation here at home. And we should support this important Latin American ally. The time is long passed for Congress to do what it promised and move forward on America’s trade agenda.



“Congress must reaffirm its commitment to an invigorated Colombia and, in the process, help our own economy at a difficult economic moment.”



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