[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 51 (Wednesday, April 2, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H1947-H1948]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              ENACT U.S-COLOMBIA TRADE PROMOTION AGREEMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mario Diaz-Balart) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, as Members of 
Congress, we are entrusted with the responsibility of keeping this 
Nation's economy strong by enacting policies which keep U.S. companies 
competitive in the global marketplace, to also support job growth at 
home, and ensure that the Federal Government operates effectively and 
efficiently.
  Today, Mr. Speaker, the 9,000 U.S. companies who export industrial 
and consumer goods to our fourth largest trading partner in Latin 
America face tariffs of up to 35 percent in their exports while most 
Colombian products imported to the U.S. enter tariff free, tax free.
  On February 27, just 5 weeks ago, the House agreed unanimously to 
extend existing unilateral trade preferences to Colombia and other 
Andean countries. In May 2007, House leadership publicly committed to 
passing a full bilateral trade agreement with Colombia, thereby 
allowing equal access to U.S. businesses in Colombia.
  The Colombian government supports lowering these tariffs on U.S. 
goods, and many Members of Congress have shown time and time again that 
they support lowering barriers to trade with free nations. Yet the 
answer so far has been total inaction by the leadership. Inaction on 
the part of this Congress has levied an unnecessary burden and an 
uncalled for tax upon American companies, including 8,000 small- and 
medium-sized businesses, many of which operate in southern Florida.
  Furthermore, it has been reported in the press that files recovered 
from a computer belonging to Raul Reyes, a leader within the terrorist 
rebel Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces, FARC, link the terrorist 
organization to the Venezuelan leadership in Caracas. In light of this 
news, Mr. Speaker, recent threats also made by the reckless and 
irresponsible leader, Hugo Chavez, and the ongoing attacks by the FARC, 
the United States needs to be supportive of the Colombian government, 
which stands up to anti-democratic and anti-American forces in the 
region.
  It is time for the House leadership to follow through on their 
promises. Enactment of the U.S.-Colombia trade promotion agreement 
would show our strong support for this democracy while strengthening 
our own economy by creating greatest access for U.S. companies and 
creating more jobs in our communities here in the United States.
  It would be negligent, irresponsible and unthinkable for this House 
to not immediately pass a free trade agreement with our closest ally in 
an otherwise volatile region.
  Passage of this agreement will benefit businesses in our communities, 
create jobs for our constituents, and help strengthen our alliance with 
that democratically elected government and the people of Colombia. I 
call upon the House leadership to bring this agreement to the floor for 
a vote so we can

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show the world community that the United States stands with its allies.

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