[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 127 (Tuesday, July 29, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H7272-H7276]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1945
            ESTABLISHING AN EARNED IMPORT ALLOWANCE PROGRAM

  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass 
the bill (H.R. 6560) to establish an earned import allowance program 
under Public Law 109-53, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6560

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. EARNED IMPORT ALLOWANCE PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--Title IV of the Dominican Republic-Central 
     America-United States

[[Page H7273]]

     Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Public Law 109-53; 
     119 Stat. 495) is amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 404. EARNED IMPORT ALLOWANCE PROGRAM.

       ``(a) Preferential Treatment.--
       ``(1) In general.--Eligible apparel articles wholly 
     assembled in an eligible country and imported directly from 
     an eligible country shall enter the United States free of 
     duty, without regard to the source of the fabric or yarns 
     from which the articles are made, if such apparel articles 
     are accompanied by an earned import allowance certificate 
     that reflects the amount of credits equal to the total square 
     meter equivalents of fabric in such apparel articles, in 
     accordance with the program established under subsection (b).
       ``(2) Determination of quantity of sme.--For purposes of 
     determining the quantity of square meter equivalents under 
     paragraph (1), the conversion factors listed in `Correlation: 
     U.S. Textile and Apparel Industry Category System with the 
     Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States of America, 
     2008', or its successor publications, of the United States 
     Department of Commerce, shall apply.
       ``(b) Earned Import Allowance Program.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--The Secretary of Commerce shall 
     establish a program to provide earned import allowance 
     certificates to any producer or entity controlling production 
     of eligible apparel articles in an eligible country for 
     purposes of subsection (a), based on the elements described 
     in paragraph (2).
       ``(2) Elements.--The elements referred to in paragraph (1) 
     are the following:
       ``(A) One credit shall be issued to a producer or an entity 
     controlling production for every two square meter equivalents 
     of qualifying fabric that the producer or entity controlling 
     production can demonstrate that it has purchased for the 
     manufacture in an eligible country of articles like or 
     similar to any article eligible for preferential treatment 
     under subsection (a). The Secretary of Commerce shall, if 
     requested by a producer or entity controlling production, 
     create and maintain an account for such producer or entity 
     controlling production, into which such credits may be 
     deposited.
       ``(B) Such producer or entity controlling production may 
     redeem credits issued under subparagraph (A) for earned 
     import allowance certificates reflecting such number of 
     earned credits as the producer or entity may request and has 
     available.
       ``(C) Any textile mill or other entity located in the 
     United States that exports qualifying fabric to an eligible 
     country may submit, upon such export or upon request, the 
     Shipper's Export Declaration, or successor documentation, to 
     the Secretary of Commerce--
       ``(i) verifying that the qualifying fabric was exported to 
     a producer or entity controlling production in an eligible 
     country; and
       ``(ii) identifying such producer or entity controlling 
     production, and the quantity and description of qualifying 
     fabric exported to such producer or entity controlling 
     production.
       ``(D) The Secretary of Commerce may require that a producer 
     or entity controlling production submit documentation to 
     verify purchases of qualifying fabric.
       ``(E) The Secretary of Commerce may make available to each 
     person or entity identified in the documentation submitted 
     under subparagraph (C) or (D) information contained in such 
     documentation that relates to the purchase of qualifying 
     fabric involving such person or entity.
       ``(F) The program shall be established so as to allow, to 
     the extent feasible, the submission, storage, retrieval, and 
     disclosure of information in electronic format, including 
     information with respect to the earned import allowance 
     certificates required under subsection (a)(1).
       ``(G) The Secretary of Commerce may reconcile discrepancies 
     in the information provided under subparagraph (C) or (D) and 
     verify the accuracy of such information.
       ``(H) The Secretary of Commerce shall establish procedures 
     to carry out the program under this section by September 30, 
     2008, and may establish additional requirements to carry out 
     the program.
       ``(c) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
       ``(1) the term `appropriate congressional committees' means 
     the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate;
       ``(2) the term `eligible apparel articles' means the 
     following articles classified in chapter 62 of the HTS (and 
     meeting the requirements of the rules relating to chapter 62 
     of the HTS contained in general note 29(n) of the HTS) of 
     cotton (but not of denim): trousers, bib and brace overalls, 
     breeches and shorts, skirts and divided skirts, and pants;
       ``(3) the term `eligible country' means the Dominican 
     Republic; and
       ``(4) the term `qualifying fabric' means woven fabric of 
     cotton wholly formed in the United States from yarns wholly 
     formed in the United States and certified by the producer or 
     entity controlling production as being suitable for use in 
     the manufacture of apparel items such as trousers, bib and 
     brace overalls, breeches and shorts, skirts and divided 
     skirts or pants, all the foregoing of cotton, except that--
       ``(A) fabric otherwise eligible as qualifying fabric shall 
     not be ineligible as qualifying fabric because the fabric 
     contains nylon filament yarn with respect to which section 
     213(b)(2)(A)(vii)(IV) of the Caribbean Basin Economic 
     Recovery Act applies;
       ``(B) fabric that would otherwise be ineligible as 
     qualifying fabric because the fabric contains yarns not 
     wholly formed in the United States shall not be ineligible as 
     qualifying fabric if the total weight of all such yarns is 
     not more than 10 percent of the total weight of the fabric, 
     except that any elastomeric yarn contained in an eligible 
     apparel article must be wholly formed in the United States; 
     and
       ``(C) fabric otherwise eligible as qualifying fabric shall 
     not be ineligible as qualifying fabric because the fabric 
     contains yarns or fibers that have been designated as not 
     commercially available pursuant to--
       ``(i) article 3.25(4) or Annex 3.25 of the Agreement;
       ``(ii) Annex 401 of the North American Free Trade 
     Agreement;
       ``(iii) section 112(b)(5) of the African Growth and 
     Opportunity Act;
       ``(iv) section 204(b)(3)(B)(i)(III) or (ii) of the Andean 
     Trade Preference Act;
       ``(v) section 213(b)(2)(A)(v) or 213A(b)(5)(A) of the 
     Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act; or
       ``(vi) any other provision, relating to determining whether 
     a textile or apparel article is an originating good eligible 
     for preferential treatment, of a law that implements a free 
     trade agreement entered into by the United States that is in 
     effect at the time the claim for preferential treatment is 
     made.
       ``(d) Review and Report.--
       ``(1) Review.--The United States International Trade 
     Commission shall carry out a review of the program under this 
     section annually for the purpose of evaluating the 
     effectiveness of, and making recommendations for improvements 
     in, the program.
       ``(2) Report.--The United States International Trade 
     Commission shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
     committees annually a report on the results of the review 
     carried out under paragraph (1).
       ``(e) Effective Date and Applicability.--
       ``(1) Effective date.--The program under this section shall 
     be in effect for the 10-year period beginning on the date on 
     which the President certifies to the appropriate 
     congressional committees that sections A, B, C, and D of the 
     Annex to Presidential Proclamation 8213 (December 20, 2007) 
     have taken effect.
       ``(2) Applicability.--The program under this section shall 
     apply with respect to qualifying fabric exported to an 
     eligible country on or after August 1, 2007.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents for the 
     Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade 
     Agreement Implementation Act is amended by inserting after 
     the item relating to section 403 the following:

``Sec. 404. Earned import allowance program.''.

     SEC. 2. AFRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT.

       (a) In General.--Section 112 of the African Growth and 
     Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3721) is amended--
       (1) in subsection (b)(6)(A), by striking ``ethic'' in the 
     second sentence and inserting ``ethnic''; and
       (2) in subsection (c)--
       (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``, and subject to 
     paragraph (2),'';
       (B) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3);
       (C) in paragraph (4)--
       (i) by striking ``Subsection (b)(3)(C)'' and inserting 
     ``Subsection (b)(3)(B)''; and
       (ii) by redesignating such paragraph (4) as paragraph (2); 
     and
       (D) by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the following:
       ``(3) Definition.--In this subsection, the term `lesser 
     developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African country' means--
       ``(A) a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country that had a 
     per capita gross national product of less than $1,500 in 
     1998, as measured by the International Bank for 
     Reconstruction and Development;
       ``(B) Botswana;
       ``(C) Namibia; and
       ``(D) Mauritius.''.
       (b) Applicability.--The amendments made by subsection (a) 
     apply to goods entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for 
     consumption, on or after the 15th day after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.
       (c) Review and Reports.--
       (1) ITC review and report.--
       (A) Review.--The United States International Trade 
     Commission shall conduct a review to identify yarns, fabrics, 
     and other textile and apparel inputs that through new or 
     increased investment or other measures can be produced 
     competitively in beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries.
       (B) Report.--Not later than 7 months after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the United States International Trade 
     Commission shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
     committees and the Comptroller General a report on the 
     results of the review carried out under subparagraph (A).
       (2) GAO report.--Not later than 90 days after the 
     submission of the report under paragraph (1)(B), the 
     Comptroller General shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a report that, based on the results 
     of the report submitted under paragraph (1)(B) and other 
     available information, contains recommendations for changes 
     to United States trade preference programs, including the 
     African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.) 
     and the amendments made by that Act, to provide incentives to 
     increase investment and

[[Page H7274]]

     other measures necessary to improve the competitiveness of 
     beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries in the production 
     of yarns, fabrics, and other textile and apparel inputs 
     identified in the report submitted under paragraph (1)(B), 
     including changes to requirements relating to rules of origin 
     under such programs.
       (3) Definitions.--In this subsection--
       (A) the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means 
     the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate; 
     and
       (B) the term ``beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries'' 
     has the meaning given the term in section 506A(c) of the 
     Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2466a(c)).
       (d) Clerical Amendment.--Section 6002(a)(2)(B) of Public 
     Law 109-432 is amended by striking ``(B) by striking'' and 
     inserting ``(B) in paragraph (3), by striking''.

     SEC. 3. GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES.

       Section 505 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2465) is 
     amended by striking ``December 31, 2008'' and inserting 
     ``December 31, 2009''.

     SEC. 4. CUSTOMS USER FEES.

       (a) In General.--Section 13031(j)(3) of the Consolidated 
     Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (19 U.S.C. 
     58c(j)(3)) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``November 14, 2017'' 
     and inserting ``January 31, 2018''; and
       (2) in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking ``October 7, 2017'' 
     and inserting ``January 31, 2018''.
       (b) Repeal.--Section 15201 of the Food, Conservation, and 
     Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-246) is amended by 
     striking subsections (c) and (d).

     SEC. 5. TIME FOR PAYMENT OF CORPORATE ESTIMATED TAXES.

       The percentage under subparagraph (C) of section 401(1) of 
     the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 in 
     effect on the date of the enactment of this Act is increased 
     by 1.75 percentage points.

     SEC. 6. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.

       Section 15402 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 
     2008 (Public Law 110-246) is amended--
       (1) in subsections (a) and (b), by striking ``Carribean'' 
     each place it appears and inserting ``Caribbean''; and
       (2) in subsection (d), by striking ``231A(b)'' and 
     inserting ``213A(b)''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. McDermott) and the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Herger) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Washington.


                             General Leave

  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Beginning a generation ago under the leadership of John F. Kennedy, 
the United States became a world leader in ensuring that American trade 
policy is designed to encourage economic growth in developing 
countries. President Kennedy said that American apathy toward poor-
country development ``would be disastrous to our national security, 
harmful to our comparative prosperity, and offensive to our 
conscience.'' It is a moral imperative for the United States to 
construct trade policies that foster development.
  One billion people exist on less than $1 a day right now. The income 
gap between the least developed countries and the world's 
industrialized countries grew by nearly 40 percent over the last 25 
years. The income of those people in rich countries is now 93 times 
that of those living in the least developed countries.
  For nearly a generation, we know that the world's poor have gotten 
much poorer. When we consider President Kennedy's words, the call to 
action is compelling.
  While we work toward a broad, multilateral agreement to lower trade 
barriers to goods and services produced in poor countries, we should 
also ensure that our unilateral policies are constructed as wisely as 
possible in order to spur development. The legislation before us takes 
a critical step in that direction. Let me highlight some of the 
important provisions in H.R. 6560, which is supported by a broad range 
of stakeholders including producers, importers, and consumer groups.
  H.R. 6560 will extend the Generalized System of Preferences for 1 
year providing producers in poor countries the certainty they need to 
retain and attract investment while providing importers effective 
access to affordable goods that are critical to their supply chain. 
U.S. consumers will benefit as a result. Importantly, this extension 
provides the Congress some breathing room to examine how GSP can 
improve to foster greater development abroad while also providing 
American producers greater certainty and opportunity.
  The bill before us makes a narrow but critical change to the way we 
treat apparel imports from the Dominican Republic. This change, which 
is supported by all of the key stakeholders, including the U.S. textile 
industry, will better enable the Dominican Republic's apparel producers 
to compete with producers in East and Southeast Asia.
  Anchoring a textile and apparel industry in Central America 
strengthens the economies of the entire Western Hemisphere. This 
provision also builds upon progress made earlier this year with respect 
to Haiti, helping to foster a much-needed economic growth in the 
Caribbean.
  Lastly, this bill addresses two issues which are of specific concern 
to me because they're related to our trade policy towards sub-Saharan 
Africa.
  For the past decade, my colleagues and I have continued to explore 
ways to encourage more investment in job creation in sub-Saharan 
Africa. We have done this primarily through enacting the African Growth 
and Opportunity Act in 2000, and some of our wishes have come true. 
We've seen the growth of an apparel industry in southern Africa, which 
has created hundreds of thousands of jobs and has provided hope for 
economic progress and justice. AGOA has contributed positively toward 
an increase in exports from sub-Saharan Africa in many countries, and a 
diversification of exports, which is good for economic growth and for 
stability in the region.
  But it has also demonstrated that a trade policy is only one 
component of a development policy. Beginning in 2006, we experimented 
with a new idea to encourage greater investment in the upstream 
production of apparel. It was called the Abundant Supply Provision. It 
encouraged or required African apparel producers to first use locally 
produced fabric before sourcing fabric from producers in places like 
Asia. While well-intended, this provision has had the opposite effect 
of what the proponents sought.
  Earlier this month, the Committee on Ways and Means hosted the trade 
ministers from the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. They told us that 
apparel exports under AGOA have declined 15 percent this year and that 
thousands of jobs are at risk if we do not repeal this abundant supply 
provision. By doing so today, we demonstrate that we have listened to 
Africa and that we are responding, not as Democrats or Republicans, but 
as Americans.
  In addition, we will help enable the sub-Saharan African nation of 
Mauritius to compete in the global apparel industry by enabling them 
the ability to use third-country fabric in apparel exports that qualify 
under AGOA.
  I'm looking forward to working with my colleagues to devise other 
measures that will better encourage upstream investment in sub-Saharan 
Africa, to promote job creation, and economic growth.
  This legislation is a strong bipartisan measure, and I want to 
recognize the leadership of Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel, 
Ranking Member Jim McCrery, Trade Subcommittee Chairman Sander Levin, 
and Subcommittee Ranking Member Wally Herger, who we will hear from in 
a moment.
  I also want to recognize and thank the staff whose tireless efforts 
in the trenches have been invaluable. They are Tim Reif, Angela Ellard, 
Behnaz Kibria, and Warren Payne.
  I believe our rightful place is at the front of the line when it 
comes to fighting global poverty by supporting economic and social 
justice. I believe that's what the U.S. meant in 2000 when we signed on 
to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
  We know our current policies fall short, but tonight we're moving in 
the right direction. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6560 because 
John F. Kennedy was right back then and today. Let us learn from 
history and follow the inspiration of a great American leader who 
believed the United States,

[[Page H7275]]

Democrat and Republican, had the legislative duty and the moral 
responsibility to lead the world.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HERGER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself so much time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6560. This bill extends the 
existing Generalized System of Preferences for 1 year, provides 
additional benefits to sub-Saharan African beneficiary countries, and 
improves U.S. implementation of the Central American-Dominican Republic 
Free Trade Agreement.
  The GSP program is an important development tool for poor countries 
and allows U.S. manufacturers and consumers to obtain products at 
competitive prices. The additional benefit for the African countries 
will help spur job creation in these countries at a time of significant 
economic uncertainty. Most importantly, the improvements to CAFTA 
demonstrate how fair trade agreements benefit American workers.
  Three years ago, many Members of Congress opposed CAFTA, fearing that 
it would result in outsourcing of U.S. jobs. We now know that those 
fears were greatly misplaced, and instead, CAFTA has been a tremendous 
success for American workers. CAFTA leveled the playing field for 
American-made products by going from a one-way preference to 
reciprocal, two-way free trade.
  The CAFTA countries already had access to our market, but we did not 
have access to their markets. CAFTA opened these growing markets to 
exports of American-made products. As a result, U.S. exports of 
manufacturing products to CAFTA increased by 33 percent since 2004.
  In 2007, the United States had a manufacturing product trade surplus 
of $1.1 billion with CAFTA, moving us away from the pre-CAFTA deficit 
that we had with these same countries. This agreement has become an 
important example of how American workers benefit from fair trade 
agreements. As of May of this year, the United States had a trade 
surplus in manufactured products with all our agreement partners 
combined, including Canada and Mexico.
  This legislation before us today will create further incentives for 
U.S. manufacturing exports to the region. It is completely 
noncontroversial and supported strongly by the U.S. textile industry.
  However, Congress should not stop here. We can create even more 
opportunities to expand exports of American-made products by passing 
the U.S.-Colombia Fair Trade Agreement. Like CAFTA, the Colombia Fair 
Trade Agreement would level the playing field for U.S. workers by 
giving the products they make the same access to the Colombian market 
that Colombian exporters already have to the U.S. market.
  According to the U.S. International Trade Commission, U.S. exports of 
manufactured products and the American workers who produce them would 
be among the biggest beneficiaries of the Colombia Fair Trade 
Agreement. According to the ITC, U.S. exports of paper products would 
increase by 28 percent; chemical and plastic exports would increase by 
23 percent; metal products by 56 percent; motor vehicles exports would 
increase to these countries by 44 percent, and machinery and equipment 
exports to these same countries by 15 percent. The growth in these 
exports would support good-paying American manufacturing jobs.
  CAFTA provided American workers an advantage over their competitors 
in other countries. If Congress doesn't act on the Colombian agreement, 
American workers will be even further disadvantaged than they are now. 
Canada has already completed a trade agreement with Colombia, and the 
EU is negotiating an agreement at this moment. If these agreements go 
into effect before the U.S.-Colombia Fair Trade Agreement, American 
workers will lose out to their competitors in Canada and the EU.
  Madam Speaker, passing this bill today will help American workers, 
but Congress must also take the next step and pass the U.S.-Colombia 
Fair Trade Agreement to create even more opportunities for American 
workers.
  I reserve the remainder of my time.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HERGER. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield so much time as he 
may use to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Brady), a very active member 
of the Ways and Means Committee and the Trade Subcommittee.

                              {time}  2000

  Mr. BRADY of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support, with my 
colleagues, of H.R. 6560, a bill that as has been said will make 
certain changes to the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade 
Agreement, which the House passed exactly 3 years ago yesterday. It 
will also make changes to our African trade preference program and will 
extend the generalized system of preference for one more year.
  The changes to the DR-CAFTA agreement will encourage the use of 
American-made fabrics in the production of pants in the DR. This helps 
to support American textile jobs, and it gives the Dominican Republic 
more flexibility to strengthen its competitiveness, too. So it is a 
win-win for jobs here in America and for jobs in Central America as 
well. It's a small change, but it can help American exporters and 
Dominican producers, and it's evidence of how the agreement has created 
economic benefits for all participants.
  In fact, if you drill down a little deeper into this agreement, in 
the past 3 years, even though it's really not fully implemented, 
Guatemala, for example, has not only shown remarkable economic progress 
and growth since the CAFTA agreement was put into place, but a lot of 
their jobs that they're creating are in the rural areas, in the poorest 
of the poor. So they're helping not just the number of a few big 
producers; they're helping the average person in Guatemala by raising 
the standard of living and by their having some hope for the future 
just as it is creating jobs here in America.
  What we have learned over the years is that it's not enough to simply 
buy American. You have to sell American. We have to aggressively sell 
our American products and services all throughout this world.
  For the U.S., as it has been pointed out, our $1.9 billion trade 
deficit with the six partners in Central America has now turned into a 
$3.6 billion trade surplus thanks to this agreement. That means we're 
selling more than we're buying and that we're supporting good paying 
American jobs in manufacturing, in services, in transportation, in 
logistics, and in agriculture.
  We recently learned that, if you take all of our current free trade 
and fair trade agreements, we see the same trend, that deficits are 
turning into surpluses across the board. We now have a surplus of 
nearly $3 billion, and our free trade agreement partners, who are only 
a small part of the world economy, now account for half of all that 
America sells overseas. So we are creating some of the best customers 
for American products and for American workers here in our agreements.
  In fact, if you look at the American economy today, nearly 40 percent 
of our economic growth comes from selling our products all around the 
world, and we're selling them to the countries we have these agreements 
with. They are great customers, and we need more of them.
  What I've realized is that, as to the giant sucking sound that was 
predicted for trade agreements, it turns out that that's the hot air 
deflated from the critics who've been proven wrong about each one of 
them, especially about CAFTA. This is yet another reason why this 
Congress needs to pass the U.S.-Colombian Trade Promotion Agreement.
  Like Central America before it, Colombia already enjoys access to 
America. They can sell their products almost duty free into the United 
States, but when we try to sell our products back into Colombia, their 
tariff is almost 14 percent, much higher than Central America's was 
before. They don't create a level playing field for American workers. 
We want to have two-way trade and equal competition.
  An agreement would lock in Colombia's trade preferences while 
creating a better investment climate for the country, which would help 
build its legitimate economy, which is dynamic throughout this region. 
A stable Colombia is good for the United States and for the hemisphere.
  If you've been following the news, you've seen remarkable progress by 
Colombia and by President Uribe on

[[Page H7276]]

human rights, on labor rights and especially, just lately, on its 
remarkable rescue of the American hostages after their being 5 years 
within the FARC. They are taming the terrorist organizations with our 
help, and they deserve our continued support in that effort.
  Madam Speaker, the Central American agreement has helped to bolster 
ties with our partners in the region. It has helped to create U.S. jobs 
and to encourage economic growth in neighboring countries. Colombia 
will do the same. I reiterate my call for the leadership of this House 
to schedule an up-or-down vote on Colombia this year. Given the nature 
of our trade laws, it will be too late if this gets put on hold until 
next year, and we will have missed a critical opportunity to strengthen 
our relationship with an important partner in the region and to create 
fair trade for Americans.
  Ladies and gentlemen, the whole world is watching America. Let's not 
turn our back on Colombia. Let's not show the world we're economic 
isolationists--afraid to compete or afraid to hold out our hand to 
partners in our backyard. Let's not as a Congress be beholden to a few 
special interests. Democrats and Republicans, Defense Secretaries and 
Secretaries of State agree that this is one of the most important 
foreign policy decisions that we can make. The whole world is watching. 
Let us schedule a vote for Colombia and pass it this year.
  Mr. HERGER. Madam Speaker, I don't have any further speakers, and I 
yield back the remainder of my time.
  Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, earlier today, regrettably, there was a 
failure to move forward on the multilateral trade talks known as DOHA. 
Some are calling this a collapse in trade talks, but I believe that we 
can and that we must continue to make progress in multilateral trade 
talks. We must spend our energy not by placing blame but by considering 
solutions to the current challenges.
  The World Trade Organization serves a crucial role in the trade 
system of the world. I believe I speak on behalf of the entire Ways and 
Means Committee when I say that we remain committed to a robust DOHA 
agreement. The bill before us demonstrates America's continued 
commitment to alleviating poverty through our trade policies. I urge 
the Members to support H.R. 6560.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker the most important argument in favor 
of the United States-Colombia Free Trade Agreement is that it is 
manifestly good for the United States and our interests.
  The most obvious benefit is expanded trade.
  Opponents claim that the agreement will force the U.S. to remove 
restrictions on Colombia's exports, resulting in more imports and 
leading to a loss of jobs and income in the U.S.
  But these opponents do not understand that, because most of 
Colombia's exports already enter the U.S. with few or no restrictions, 
it is Colombia's barriers that will be removed and U.S. exporters that 
will benefit.
  And expanded U.S. exports to Colombia translate directly into 
increased jobs and income here at home.
  Colombia will certainly benefit, but the U.S. will benefit more.
  This free trade agreement is about more than economics. It is 
essential to securing U.S. strategic interests in the Hemisphere.
  In a region in which anti-American regimes are aggressively targeting 
U.S. interests, Colombia remains a steadfast ally.
  That ally is battling an array of internal and external enemies, and 
the U.S. has an enormous stake in ensuring that Colombia wins that 
fight.
  Long under siege from FARC guerrillas who once controlled nearly half 
the country, Colombia has, in recent months, inflicted major defeats on 
an armed insurgency that has: sought to overthrow Colombia's democratic 
government; killed and kidnapped thousands of Colombians, as well as 
Americans and other foreigners; and provided protection to drug 
kingpins shipping billions of dollars of cocaine, heroin, and other 
illegal drugs to the U.S. every year.
  Colombia looks poised to free itself from these threats and achieve 
peace and long-term stability.
  Given the stakes, our friends and enemies in this Hemisphere are 
watching how we treat this vital ally in the region.
  The Colombian government has done everything we have asked of it, 
even renegotiating the already concluded agreement to add new 
provisions regarding labor and environmental issues. But to no avail.
  As a result, our friends and enemies are in danger of concluding that 
the U.S. has turned its back on Colombia and that the assault on U.S. 
interests and allies is paying off.
  Over the past decade, the once near-hopeless security situation in 
Colombia has been transformed, with crucial assistance and unwavering 
support provided by the United States.
  But there is much left to be done.
  Although the insurgency has been severely weakened, there are many 
thousands of guerrillas still operating. The cultivation and export to 
the U.S. of illegal drugs continues. And there are large areas of 
Colombia in which the central government has virtually no presence.
  U.S. assistance and support for Colombia has been instrumental in its 
success, and will continue to be so in the future.
  But that means more than simply security assistance and money. The 
easiest, most direct, and most effective means we have to bolster 
Colombia at this critical stage is passage of the free trade agreement.
  Congress has a golden opportunity to support our embattled ally and 
further our own interests. If we falter, so may Colombia, and the 
achievements of a decade will be needlessly squandered. And then some 
may ask: ``Who lost Colombia?''
  Mr. McDERMOTT. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6560, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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