[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 56 (Wednesday, April 9, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H2125-H2126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                U.S.-COLOMBIA TRADE PROMOTION AGREEMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Weller) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WELLER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the U.S.-
Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement. I rise in support of bringing this 
important agreement to the House floor.
  Ladies and gentlemen, I come from the State of Illinois. I represent 
a district that's heavily dependent on exports for growing our economy. 
We make heavy construction equipment. We grow a lot of corn and 
soybeans. We export a tremendous amount of plastics and petrochemicals. 
This trade agreement is a big winner for States like Illinois as it is 
for our Nation.
  You know, right now our products made in Colombia, whether farm 
products or manufactured goods, they enter the United States 
essentially duty free. The Andean Nations of Peru, Colombia, Ecuador 
and Bolivia, they've got the opportunity for all their products to come 
to the United States duty free, but our products made in America face 
taxes when they're exported to Colombia. In fact, the bulldozers made 
in my district, I have 8,000 workers, union workers who work for 
Caterpillar, they make the yellow bulldozers. Mining is a big industry 
in Colombia, we want to sell those products there, but they face 15 
percent tariffs when they're exported. It makes them harder to compete 
with the Asians.
  The corn and soybeans and livestock products produced in my district, 
they face tariffs today up to 40 percent, making it hard to compete 
with the Argentineans and Brazilians and the Colombian market, a nation 
of over 40 million people.
  The bottom line is 80 percent of U.S. exports to Colombia will be 
duty free immediately once this trade agreement goes into effect. And I 
would note that, as we've seen, countries like Chile and the central 
American countries and elsewhere where we have trade agreements, we've 
seen 50 percent faster growth in exports in nations who have trade 
agreements than those who do not.
  And I would note also, again, Colombian products come to the United 
States duty free, tariff free, but our products face barriers going in. 
This agreement eliminates those and makes trade a two-way street. It's 
an important agreement, and I urge it be brought up for a vote and I 
urge bipartisan support.
  Those who oppose this trade agreement say Colombia hasn't done 
enough. And I want to begin by asking, who is the Republic of Colombia? 
What nation in Latin America is the oldest democracy in Latin America? 
It's Colombia. What nation is the second largest Spanish-speaking 
nation in all Latin America? Colombia. What nation is the most reliable 
ally of the United States, particularly when it comes to 
counterterrorism and counternarcotics? Colombia. And what nation has 
done more under its current democratically elected president to reduce 
violence in Latin America? It's Colombia, clearly.
  Colombia is not only a friend of the United States, in fact, our 
enemies in Latin America identify Colombia as our best friend. And they 
say, you know, watch the United States, they always turn their back on 
their friends; watch how they treat Colombia when it comes to this 
trade agreement.
  And those who would argue against this trade agreement say, you know, 
you've got to look at the labor violence, you've got to look at the 
violence in the country; and Colombia just has not done enough to 
address violence. Well, President Uribe is the most popular elected 
president in this entire hemisphere. This Congress today suffers from a 
15 percent approval rating, President Uribe in Colombia has an 80 
percent approval rating. He was elected to reduce the violence in his 
country, and he succeeded.
  In fact, 71 percent of Colombians today say they feel more secure 
because of President Uribe. Seventy-three percent say President Uribe 
respects human rights. Homicides are down 40 percent, kidnappings are 
down 76 percent. Colombians feel free to drive anywhere in Colombia. 
And I would point out that today, the murder rate in Colombia is lower 
than Washington, D.C., it's lower than Baltimore. It's safer to walk 
the streets of Bogota, Colombia than it is in Washington, D.C., yet 
those who oppose this agreement say the murder rate is too high and 
that Colombia needs to do more. But Washington, D.C. is more violent 
than Colombia.
  Here's the facts: When it comes to labor violence, President Uribe 
has made major changes. He has increased the Prosecutor General's 
budget by 72 percent in the last 2 years. He has added over 2,100 new 
posts, adding 418 new prosecutors, 445 new investigators. He has done 
so much that the President of the United Workers Confederation of 
Colombia says, ``never in the history of Colombia have we achieved 
something so important.'' Yet there are those who want to turn their 
back on President Uribe in Colombia.
  And when it comes specifically to protections provided to labor 
leaders, and I have met with many Colombian labor leaders, and they 
note that in Colombia, if you're a labor activist or labor leader and 
you feel in danger, you can request special protection from the 
government.

[[Page H2126]]

                              {time}  1930

  And last year under President Uribe, they spent $39 million providing 
body guards and special protection for labor leaders and labor 
activists. In fact, almost 2,000 labor leaders and activists have 
participated in this program, and it's been so successful that no labor 
leader who has requested the assistance has been denied because it's 
provided to those who are denied it, but also no one who has ever 
participated has ever been a victim of violence. It's been successful. 
And as the Washington Post noted, and you don't want to see anyone lose 
their life, but the murder rate for labor activists is actually lower 
than the murder rate for the average citizens of Colombia. And, again, 
it's safer to walk the streets of Bogota than it is in Washington, D.C. 
from the standpoint of being a victim of violent crime or, frankly, a 
victim of murder.
  The International Labor Organization has recognized the progress 
Colombia has made. In fact, they have removed Colombia from its labor 
watch list. And Colombia has agreed to have a permanent International 
Labor Organization representative in Colombia.
  Just a few weeks ago, this House overwhelmingly, with bipartisan 
support, ratified the U.S.-Peru agreement, and Colombia has agreed to 
every same labor condition that was demanded of Peru. Colombia has 
agreed to the same. So for those who demanded it, they should be 
proclaiming victory.
  The bottom line is Colombia is a friend of the United States. And 
there are those who want to kill this agreement, those what want to 
turn their back on Colombia. Let's remember this agreement is good for 
Americans, it's also good for Colombia, but our best friend in Latin 
America is Colombia. They deserve a vote and they deserve a ``yes'' 
vote, bipartisan support, for the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion 
Agreement.

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