[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 60 (Thursday, April 23, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H4691-H4692]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         OPPOSING THE PANAMA AND COLOMBIA FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS

  (Mr. HARE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HARE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to respond to recent 
comments made by the United States Trade Representative, Ambassador 
Kirk, regarding the Panama and Colombia Free Trade Agreements.
  In addition to the tax haven and money laundering issues with Panama, 
and the fact that Colombia remains the most violent country for trade 
unionists in the world, it would be a mistake to pursue these two 
unfair trade agreements as we attempt to recover from

[[Page H4692]]

the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
  Our economy began this downward spiral as a result of irresponsible 
trade policies that have outsourced millions of good-paying American 
jobs. With the unemployment rate at 8.5 percent, the last thing our 
economy can afford is more of the same.
  I intend to work with the Obama administration and my colleagues in 
Congress to forge a new direction on trade that addresses the 
devastation caused by NAFTA and, instead, creates jobs and grows 
industry in the United States.

                          ____________________