[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 25614]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   U.S.-COLOMBIA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reaffirm my long-
standing support for the Colombian people, the Colombian-American 
community in south Florida, and to urge my colleagues to approve the 
U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement as soon as possible.
  Colombia is one of our strongest allies in the fight against 
extremism and drug trafficking, not only in our hemisphere, but around 
the world.
  When I was first elected, Colombia was under siege. Leftist rebel 
groups and drug cartels such as the FARC and the Medellin and Cali 
Cartels had taken over large areas of that country. Colombians were 
prisoners in their own land, fearful for their lives, and watching 
their country descend further into chaos and darkness. Now, however, 
after many years of bravery and sacrifice, the Colombian people and its 
government have taken back their country, and each year Colombia 
becomes more secure and more prosperous. Colombians have continued to 
do so despite the unrelenting attack and assault by known FARC 
sympathizers and supporters of Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro to derail 
Colombia's progress. Well, the government and the people in Colombia 
have persevered.
  At a time when U.S. interests throughout the hemisphere are under 
attack, Colombia has remained a steadfast ally, an indispensable 
partner in ensuring our security and freedom in the region. The pending 
U.S.-Colombia Defense Cooperation Agreement will further strengthen 
that alliance and will serve as a major boost to our joint efforts to 
fight narcotraffickers and leftist rebels.
  In discussing this agreement last month, Secretary of State Hillary 
Clinton highlighted, ``This agreement ensures that appropriate 
protections are in place for our servicemembers. It will allow us to 
continue working together to meet the challenges posed by 
narcotraffickers, terrorists, and other illegal armed groups in 
Colombia.''
  Together, the U.S. and Colombia have had enormous success in battling 
those groups, but much more remains to be done. This agreement will 
ensure that we are fully equipped to do so.
  The United States and Colombia also share growing economic ties. The 
U.S. is the largest source of foreign investment in Colombia, which has 
quadrupled over the past 7 years. My own district in Miami, Florida, 
had nearly $6 billion in total trade with Colombia in 1 year alone.
  Colombia is Miami's number one trading partner in volume and second 
leading international market. But although U.S.-Colombian economic ties 
are strong, we have only just begun to tap their potential. That will 
require passage of the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement.
  Unfortunately, the free trade agreement has been in limbo for 3 
years, largely because of partisan opposition. But opponents fail to 
understand that the primary purpose of this trade pact is to eliminate 
Colombia's barriers to U.S. goods. Colombia would immediately eliminate 
a majority of its tariffs on U.S. exports, with all remaining tariffs 
eventually phasing out gradually. More exports means more sales, which 
means more jobs here in the U.S. The benefits would be felt 
immediately.
  The U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that U.S. exports 
to Colombia would quickly increase by over $1 billion, and that's not 
even counting a major increase in service-related exports.
  Given today's difficult economic climate, with so many hardworking 
Americans striving to make ends meet, it is unbelievable that Congress 
continues to refuse to take the simple step to expand trade and create 
jobs in this country.
  But there is more at stake, Mr. Speaker. By strengthening Colombia's 
ability to fight drug traffickers and fight leftist guerrillas, and by 
demonstrating that the U.S. will stand by its loyal ally, passage of 
this trade agreement will advance U.S. security and economic interests 
not only in that country, but throughout the hemisphere. That is why, 
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to approve the U.S.-Colombia Free 
Trade Agreement and to do so as soon as possible.
  Again, I would like to commend the people of Colombia for their 
remarkable progress that they have achieved and express my ongoing 
support for the strong ties between our countries. We are blessed in 
south Florida to have a wonderful, robust, patriotic, American-loving, 
Colombian-American community. They have, indeed, enriched our area.

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