[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2964]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     COLOMBIA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

  Mr. CORKER. Mr. President, I actually rise today to talk about the 
Colombia Free Trade Agreement. I had the tremendous opportunity this 
weekend to travel to Colombia and spend time in Medellin with our 
Secretary of Commerce, our Secretary of Labor, the head of our SBA, Mr. 
Steve Preston, and also a bipartisan group of congressional Members.
  Mr. President, I know you realize that just this last week, this body 
passed, on a voice vote, the Andean Trade Preference Agreement, which 
allows Colombia, along with other South American countries, to actually 
send goods into this country tariff free. Let me say that one more 
time. Last week, by voice vote, unanimously, this body agreed to extend 
the Andean Trade Preference Agreement that was first put in place in 
1991 that allows Colombian companies to ship into this country tariff-
free products for sale in our country.
  The Colombia Free Trade Agreement would actually allow American 
companies--American companies, which employ Americans--to ship goods 
into Colombia. It is amazing to me we have not been able to vote on 
this agreement. I realize this has actually been used as a leverage 
point, if you will, by some of the major unions in our country to 
leverage us into maybe doing some other things.
  I realize the other body, on the other side of the building, is the 
body that needs to take up this agreement. But I think most people 
realize what is taking place at this point in time.
  I would like to go back in history and cause the American people to 
remember that Plan Colombia, where we, as a country, have invested $5.7 
billion into the country of Colombia, is something that has been done 
on a bipartisan basis. This was started under President Clinton with a 
country that had a very fragile existence due to security, due to 
narcotics. It was something that was put in place to help our country 
be more secure. This has been carried through with the Bush 
administration.
  Mr. President, I have to tell you, it has been incredible the 
progress that has taken place in Colombia, especially since the year 
2002, under President Uribe's leadership. During that period of time, 
the country has become far more secure.
  We were in a city that just a decade ago we would not have been able 
to travel to. Economic growth has continued; 32,000 members of 
paramilitary groups have actually put down their arms and come back 
into civil society in this country.
  So we are at a point in time where this country has made tremendous 
strides. This country has made remarkable progress. They focused on 
human rights. Just in February of last year, they set up special 
prosecutors to focus on violence as it relates to union officials and 
have made tremendous progress.
  As a matter of fact, today in Colombia, a place where union officials 
in the past had to worry about their safety, it is actually safer--by 
virtue of violence against union officials--it is safer to be a union 
official than it is another member of society: a teacher or someone 
else.
  It makes no sense for any of us in this body to not want the Colombia 
Free Trade Agreement to come into existence because today they are able 
to sell products into our country tariff free, but we are not able to 
sell products into their country. If this trade agreement were to come 
about, Colombia would actually be held to international labor 
standards. So, in fact, the plight of labor there would be lessened. As 
a matter of fact, to have American companies playing a role in Colombia 
would also be something that would enhance human rights.
  Over the weekend, a leader of one of the terrorist groups, FARC, 
which has wreaked havoc on the citizens there, was killed. It was 
something that was done certainly to create even more security there. 
We have seen the reaction today and yesterday of the leader of 
Venezuela, who has 4,000 to 6,000 troops on the Colombian border--in 
essence, a threat to that country.
  Colombia has been a friend of our country for many years. They had 
people fighting side by side with us in the Korean war. They have been 
loyal friends. They have lived up to what we have asked them to do and 
are making even greater progress in some cases than we ever expected. 
This is about us honoring our friendships. This is about us honoring 
our commitments.
  I will just say, as it relates to my own State, we have increased 
trade with Colombia, even under the arrangements that we have now where 
our companies have to pay tariffs on goods going into their country. In 
my own State, we would increase tremendously the amount of agricultural 
exports going into Colombia if this agreement were passed.
  In conclusion, we have an ally in South America, an ally that is 
under immediate threat today but is under continual threat from 
countries nearby that harbor terrorists who commit terrorist acts 
against their country.
  We have worked with them for years and have invested $5.7 billion or 
$5.8 billion into that country. Trade, we know, is a stabilizing 
factor. Right now, I think all of us understand that the leadership of 
the AFL-CIO and other organizations by virtue of their political 
relationships have been able to keep this treaty from passing, from 
being a part of our agreement with Colombia.
  I think it is important for all of us to understand the negative 
impact that is having on our own States. As I mentioned earlier, 
farmers in my own State would benefit tremendously. Manufacturers of 
equipment would benefit tremendously. Chemical and pharmaceutical 
manufacturers would benefit tremendously. The fact is, in 2006, our 
trade with Colombia in my own State was up 49 percent, even with these 
tariffs in place.
  So I hope the leadership of the body across the Hall will very soon 
allow the Members of that body to vote their conscience on this 
particular trade agreement; to not have a vote where they, in essence, 
direct people to vote against this agreement but allow people to vote 
for it because this is good for people all across America as it relates 
to employment. It is good for Colombia in that it shows that they are, 
in fact, our friend. It is good for our national security.
  It is important for us to have in South America allies who think like 
we think and want to see democracy flourish, who want to see free 
trade, who want to see relationships with our people.
  I think at this critical time, especially with the turmoil that is 
existing in that part of the world, it is important for us to pass this 
Colombia Free Trade Agreement.
  Mr. President, I thank you for allowing me to express my views today. 
I hope we, as a body, will have the opportunity to pass this bill in 
the near future.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Texas.
  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I commend my colleague from Tennessee 
for bringing up this very important issue. We know from what has 
happened in Colombia in just the last 2 days that it is so important 
our country help them in every way as they struggle to get rid of the 
drug trafficking and trade that has plagued their country for so long. 
Free trade would be an excellent way for our country to help them build 
their economy and keep their democracy alive and stable.
  So I say thank the Senator from Tennessee for talking about that 
issue, which is very appropriate at this particular time.

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