[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5368]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          APPROVE THE U.S.-COLOMBIA TRADE PROMOTION AGREEMENT

  (Mr. HERGER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HERGER. Madam Speaker, now that the Colombia trade agreement is 
before Congress, I hope that all Members will weigh its benefits 
carefully and approve it with a strong bipartisan up-or-down vote. The 
United States is the largest manufacturer and exporter in the world and 
new markets are essential to our workers, 42 percent of whom are 
employed by companies that are involved with trade.
  The Colombia trade agreement would level the playing field for 
American workers and grant our exporters the same fair access that 
Colombian producers already enjoy into the U.S. market. It would also 
strategically strengthen Colombia's fight against narcoterrorists and 
help them reject the influence of Venezuela's anti-American strong man, 
Hugo Chavez.
  I urge support of the U.S.-Colombia TPA.

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