[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 4642-4643]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   COLOMBIA TRADE PROMOTION AGREEMENT

  (Mr. SMITH of Nebraska asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Madam Speaker, now that we are back in 
Washington, I am looking forward to passing a trade accord with 
Colombia. The agreement should be brought up before the House as soon 
as possible. Over 90 percent of U.S. imports from Colombia now enter 
our country duty-free. The agreement will provide U.S. companies and ag 
producers with duty-free access to the Colombian market.
  Colombia's market grew by 7 percent last year, and is already a top 
global export market for U.S. crops such as corn and cotton. With the 
trade accord

[[Page 4643]]

in place, U.S. exports are projected to rise by more than $1 billion 
per year. The time is right. Opening new markets and strengthening 
existing ones is tremendously important to Nebraska's Third 
Congressional District and our Nation as a whole. It is my priority to 
help Nebraska's producers and industries continue to compete and 
succeed in the global market. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

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