[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 105 (Thursday, July 14, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H5027-H5028]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     COLOMBIAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
California (Ms. Linda T. Sanchez) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning 
to address the House and the American people regarding the Colombia 
free trade agreement and the negative impacts it will have on working 
families in the United States as well as Colombia.
  Quite frankly, I am stumped as to why Congress is even considering 
this trade agreement. Colombia is the most dangerous place in the world 
to be a union worker. This year, 17 trade unionists were assassinated 
as of mid-June. Last year, 51 trade unionists were killed in Colombia.
  As a Member of Congress, I have traveled to Colombia to see labor 
conditions there firsthand. We simply can't afford to approve an FTA 
with a nation as unsafe as Colombia which can't even enforce its own 
laws.
  Like many of my colleagues, I was glad to see that the Obama 
administration negotiated a Labor Action Plan with the Colombian 
Government. Both morally and economically, it is imperative that 
Colombia address some of these concerns regarding human and labor 
rights for workers. The administration says the Labor Action Plan has 
been met. The problem is that the Labor Action Plan doesn't go far 
enough.
  Many of my colleagues might question whether labor conditions in a 
foreign country could really impact job prospects of their constituents 
here in the United States. Well, when you consider that for years 
American workers have been competing for jobs with nations that have 
weaker labor and environmental standards, it is no wonder that we are 
losing jobs here in the United States.
  Let me be blunt: if joining a union means putting your life on the 
line, there is no freedom. There is no fair competition. Without fair 
competition, we will see even more American jobs shipped overseas. I 
think we can all agree that the last thing that this country needs 
right now is to lose more jobs.
  Let me be clear. I am committed to trade. Trade can benefit our 
Nation, our businesses, and our working families. In fact, I am a 
member of President Obama's Export Council, and the goal there is to 
double American exports in 5 years, not to export American jobs.
  The fact of the matter is that the Colombia free trade agreement 
doesn't help American working families. It really benefits 
transnational corporations. These transnational corporations already 
repress Colombian workers. Nothing under this agreement makes the lives 
of Colombian workers better. Nothing under this agreement makes the 
lives of U.S. workers better. They don't get an equal share of the 
benefits of this free trade agreement.
  Why are we rushing to approve an agreement when workers in Colombia 
don't even want it? Even worse, once the agreement is in effect, the 
U.S. loses our most important leverage to see that the human rights 
situation improves in Colombia. So I ask again: why the rush?
  Congress should wait to see if Colombia institutes the Labor Action 
Plan, as they have promised. After that, we can determine if conditions 
for working families in Colombia actually improve. The Labor Action 
Plan is a good

[[Page H5028]]

first step, but it won't fix Colombia's problems overnight.
  You would hope that an international trade agreement would bring jobs 
with it. To give my colleagues some idea why there are problems with 
the Colombia FTA, the U.S. International Trade Commission doesn't 
predict that the Colombia FTA would create jobs. Now, the U.S. 
International Trade Commission always predicts very high and lofty job 
creation numbers for trade agreements, but even they are skeptical. 
That alone should be evidence for my colleagues that now is not the 
time for the Colombia free trade agreement.
  Congress should be focused on creating jobs, and this trade agreement 
doesn't pass the smell test, although the Colombia FTA does stink when 
you consider that it is hardworking middle class families who will pay 
the price with this unfair trade agreement.
  The Colombia FTA will kill jobs, drive down American wages, and drive 
small American companies that face unfair competition out of business. 
We can do better. I urge my colleagues to stop settling for not so bad 
and pursue a trade policy that means prosperity for everyone.

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