    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
    [August 2, 2005]
    [Pages 1291-1293]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on Signing the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States
    Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
    August 2, 2005

        Thanks for the warm welcome. Welcome to the White House. Last week,
    Congress passed the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade
    Agreement. I want to thank the Republicans and Democrats who came
    together to support this important agreement. The bill I'm about to sign
    is good for America. I'm pleased that Congress has taken a step to
    eliminate the barriers to America's goods and crops to 44 million
    customers.
        I welcome the opportunity to make our Nation more secure by
    strengthening our ties with democracies that share our belief in free
    markets and free government. I appreciate the vision and leadership of
    Bob Zoellick and Rob Portman and the many others who worked hard to get this
    agreement passed. I want to thank the Secretary of State, Condi
    Rice, for the outstanding job she's doing
    on behalf of the American people. I want to thank Secretary Mike
    Johanns from the Department of Agriculture for
    joining us. And Stephanie, thank you for
    being here. I appreciate Secretary Carlos Gutierrez of the Department of Commerce for his good work.
        We're honored to be joined by the chairman of the Senate Foreign
    Relations Committee, Dick Lugar. I
    appreciate you coming, Senator. I'm honored you're here. Senator Norm
    Coleman, who is the chairman of the Foreign
    Relations Committee, Western Hemisphere Subcommittee. I appreciate
    Congressman Clay Shaw, who is the chairman
    of the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee. I'm honored that these
    three Members of Congress are standing with us today.
        I appreciate los Embajadores from the Central American countries,
    Ambassador Duenas, Ambassador
    Stadthagen, Ambassador Espinal, Ambassador Castillo de Guatemala. By the way, Espinal is Dominican
    Republic; Ambassador Stadthagen is from Nicaragua; Duenas is from Costa
    Rica. I appreciate Ambassador Leon from El Salvador, who is with us. I want to thank the
    Special Envoy Garcia from Honduras. I
    appreciate Anna Escobar, who is the
    Vice President of El Salvador, for joining us. Bienvenidos. And I want
    to thank Jose Insulza, who is the
    Secretary General of

    [[Page 1292]]

    the Organization of American States, for joining us. Welcome.
        All of us in this room understand that to keep our economy growing
    and creating jobs, we need to open markets for American products
    overseas. All of us understand that strengthening our economic ties with
    our democratic neighbors is vital to America's economic and national
    security interests. And all of us understand that by strengthening ties
    with democracies in our hemisphere, we are advancing the stability that
    comes from freedom.
        Right now Central American goods face almost no tariffs when they
    enter the United States. By contrast, U.S. exports to Central America
    still face hefty tariffs there. CAFTA will end these unfair tariffs
    against American products and help ensure that free trade is fair trade.
        By leveling the playing field for our products, CAFTA will help
    create jobs and opportunities for our citizens. As CAFTA helps create
    jobs and opportunity in the United States, it will help the democracies
    of Central America and the Dominican Republic deliver a better life for
    their citizens. By further opening up their markets, CAFTA will help
    those democracies attract the trade and investment needed for economic
    growth.
        This economic growth will boost demand for U.S. goods and reduce
    poverty and contribute to the rise of a vibrant middle class. This
    economic growth will raise working standards and will deliver hope and
    opportunity to people who have made the choice for freedom. The more
    opportunity that Central Americans have at home to provide for
    themselves and their families means it's less likely that someone
    looking for a job will try to come to this country illegally.
        By strengthening the democracies in the region, CAFTA will enhance
    our Nation's security. Two decades ago, many of the CAFTA nations
    struggled with poverty and dictatorship and civil strife. Today, they're
    working democracies, and we must not take these gains for granted. These
    nations still face forces that oppose democracy, seek to limit economic
    freedom, and want to drive a wedge between the United States and the
    rest of the Americas. The small nations of CAFTA are making big and
    brave commitments, and CAFTA is a signal that the United States will
    stand with them and support them. By helping the CAFTA nations build
    free societies, we'll help them eliminate the lawlessness and
    instability that terrorists and criminals and drug traffickers feed on.
    And this will make our country safer.
        CAFTA is more than a trade bill; it is a commitment among freedom-
    loving nations to advance peace and prosperity throughout the region. As
    the oldest democracy in the Western Hemisphere, the United States has a
    moral obligation and a vital national security interest in helping
    democracies in our neighborhood succeed, and CAFTA advances this goal.
        And to ensure that the 21st century is one of prosperity and freedom
    and security, my administration will continue to work to strengthen
    democracy and open markets for American exports all across the world.
        And now it's my honor to invite the Members of the Congress to join
    me as I sign the legislation that will implement the Central American-
    Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:15 a.m. in the East Room at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to former U.S. Trade Representative
    Robert B. Zoellick; U.S. Trade Representative Robert J. Portman;
    Stephanie Johanns, wife of Secretary of Agriculture Johanns; Costa
    Rica's Ambassador to the U.S. Tomas Duenas; Nicaragua's Ambassador to
    the U.S. Salvador Stadthagen Icaza; the Dominican Republic's Ambassador
    to the U.S. Flavio Dario Espinal Jacobo; Guatemala's Ambassador to the
    U.S. Guillermo Castillo; El Salvador's Ambassador to the U.S. Rene
    Antonio Leon Rodriguez; and Special Envoy Norman Garcia of Honduras.
    H.R. 3045, approved August 2, was assigned

    [[Page 1293]]

    Public Law No. 109-53. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a
    Spanish language transcript of these remarks.