    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
    [March 18, 2008]
    [Pages 385-391]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the Jacksonville Port Authority in Jacksonville, Florida
    March 18, 2008

        Thank you all. Please be seated. Thank you for the warm welcome.
    It's nice to be back in J-ville. It's an interesting place to come,
    isn't it? I've been in your stadium. I've been in your church. I've
    never been on the docks. But if you're interested in trying to figure
    out one of the reasons why this is one of America's most vibrant cities,
    you got to come to the docks.
        And I want to explain why these docks are important to not only the
    citizens of Jacksonville, but also why what happens here is important to
    the overall economy in the United States.
        Before I do, I do want to thank Senor Morales. Thank you for your leading here as the chairman of the
    Jacksonville Port Authority. Thanks for being the kind of American we
    love, somebody who comes from abroad, recognizes the great blessings of
    the United States of America, and contributes mightily to our success.
        I appreciate the executive director, Rick Ferrin. I've just had an interesting tour of this facility by
    Magnus Lindeback, Captain Magnus Lindeback.
    [Applause] Magnus, it sounds like some of them have heard of you around
    here. [Laughter] I'm going to talk about Magnus a little later on. He's
    a fellow who came to America with a dream and now employs a lot of good,
    hard-working folks because of goods that are shipped from here to other
    parts of the world and for goods that are shipped from other parts of
    the world to here. See, everybody here is working as a result of trade--
    trade that happens and occurs right here on these docks.
        The Governor of the great State of Florida, Charlie Crist, has joined us. Mr. Governor, proud
    you're here, thanks for taking time. Two
    Members from the United States Congress have
    come--this must be a

    [[Page 386]]

    special occasion--[laughter]--Ander Crenshaw, Congressman from this
    district, doing a find job, and Congresswoman Corrine Brown. Madam
    Congresswoman, we're proud you're here.
        Daniel Davis, president of the Jacksonville
    City Council, appreciate you coming. A lot of other State and local
    officials, port authority employees, Coastal Maritime employees, thanks
    for greeting me here, appreciate you coming.
        One thing is for certain: This is a challenging time for our
    economy. You know that, I know that, a lot of Americans understand that.
    In the short run, the strains on the economy have been caused by the
    turmoil in the housing market, which has required focused and decisive
    action. And that's exactly what the Federal Government's doing.
        There are problems, but the key is to recognize problems and to act
    early, which we have done. For example, we brought together what's
    called the HOPE NOW Alliance. It's a private sector group that is
    helping large numbers of homeowners refinance their mortgages. We want
    to help people stay in their homes. And millions of people are going to
    be affected by this program. And it makes sense to help some person who
    is creditworthy find the capacity and understand where to refinance. The
    more people live in their homes, the better off America is. But no
    question, there's been a oversupply of housing, and it's going to take
    time to work through this oversupply.
        We also worked with Congress--and I want to thank the Members of
    Congress--to pass a bipartisan economic growth package. That's
    Washington-speak for, you're fixing to receive some money. By the way,
    it's your money to begin with. [Laughter] But in the second week of May,
    there is a substantial amount of money being returned to people in the
    hopes of encouraging increased consumption. There's also incentives in
    this piece of legislation passed by both Republicans and Democrats that
    will encourage small and large businesses to invest. And when businesses
    invest, as Magnus will tell you, it makes
    it easier to give people work. Investment equals jobs.
        And so in the second week of May, checks will be coming. And the
    experts tell me this is going to help with the economic vitality of the
    country. After all, it's a--over $150 billion that is going to be
    distributed. The plan was voted on; I signed it into law, but it hadn't
    been put completely into effect yet.
        Our financial markets have also been subjected to stress. And the
    Federal Reserve and the Treasury acted swiftly to promote stability in
    our financial markets at a crucial time. It was action that was
    necessary, and I appreciate the leadership of Chairman
    Bernanke and Secretary Paulson. And they'll continue to closely monitor the
    markets in the financial sector. And the point I want to make to you is,
    if there needs to be further action, we'll take it, in a way that does
    not damage the long-term health of our economy.
        In the long run, Americans ought to have confidence in our economy.
    I mean, there are some anchors that promote long-term--that should
    promote long-term confidence. Let me give you a few. First of all, the
    unemployment rate is relatively low. We've got a low unemployment rate
    here in Florida, low in most parts of the country. We're an innovative
    society with a flexible economy. But there's a lot of research and
    development being spent here in America. There are new technologies
    being developed. Productivity is on the rise. We have a strong
    agricultural sector. The small-business sector is vibrant. And people
    are investing in the United States. And so I understand there's short-
    term difficulty, but I want people to understand that in the long term,
    we're going to be just fine. People will still be able to work.
        You know, one of the interesting signs of strength is that we're the
    world's leading exporter of goods and services. I'm not saying we're
    second place or third place; we're

    [[Page 387]]

    the world's leading exporter. And that's positive, particularly if
    you're somebody whose job depends upon trade.
        Now, we're in the middle of a debate here about trade, whether it's
    good or not. Well, anybody wondering about the stakes in the trade
    debate ought to come right here to Jacksonville, Florida, to the docks
    to see whether or not trade makes sense. According to the most recent
    data, you move more than 8 million tons of cargo each year. This cargo
    doesn't move itself. Somebody has to move it from port to port.
        I'm sitting in--standing in front of people that are all part of the
    process, good, hard-working Americans that are putting food on the table
    for their families because of trade. You handle most--more than--more
    automobiles than any American port. I don't know if the people of
    Jacksonville understand that, but think about that. More automobiles are
    handled at this port than anywhere in the United States of America. You
    help support more than 45,000 jobs. This port serves as a vital
    commercial and strategic link to our neighborhood, to our neighbors in
    Latin America and the Caribbean.
        Opening trade has been one of the high priorities of my Presidency.
    See, I believe trade leads to good jobs. I believe trade is in our
    interests. When I took office, America had free trade agreements in
    force with three countries. Today, we have agreements in force with 14
    countries. And there are three more agreements pending this year:
    Colombia, Panama, and South Korea. All three of these agreements are
    important, and the one with Colombia is especially urgent. And I want to
    spend a little time talking about the free trade agreement with Colombia
    and what it means for our national security and what it means for your
    job security.
        We have worked closely with leaders in Congress to seek a path to
    bring the Colombia agreement up for approval. And we've got a good model
    to go on. Last year, we worked out a bipartisan approach on a bill
    implementing a good free trade agreement with Peru, and it was a good
    bill. And it was one of those bills where people, when they stepped back
    from politics, realized it made good sense and overwhelmingly approved
    it. Both Republicans and Democrats voted for that, two of whom happen to
    be sitting right here.
        The Colombia agreement is almost identical to the agreement with
    Peru, except that the Colombia agreement has even greater economic
    potential because Colombia has a larger GDP and even greater national
    security importance because of Colombia's strategic location. The lesson
    is clear: If Congress can find a way to vote on and improve the Peru
    agreement, there's no reason it can't do the same for Colombia.
        Now, why is it important? Before I get to the importance, I do want
    to tell you the time is urgent. There must be a vote on Colombia this
    year. And this agreement is too important to be delayed any longer. So I
    am reiterating my call on leaders in Congress to act with urgency. I ask
    members of both parties to ensure that politics do not get in the way of
    a vital priority for our Nation and, frankly, a vote that will help
    people who are working here on the docks. You can think in terms of
    national security interests, but if that doesn't interest you, think
    about terms of helping folks just like this make a living.
        Let me talk a little bit about the national security implications
    from this vote. In Colombia, President Uribe is waging an active battle against terrorists who are
    seeking to overthrow his nation's democracy. This terrorist network is
    known as FARC. It pursues Marxist objectives through bombing, hostage-
    taking, and assassination. Much of its funding is derived from drug
    trafficking. Attacks by the FARC have killed or injured more than 1,000
    civilians since 2003. These are brutal people, and they're ruthless
    people. And they'll use all kinds of means to achieve their objectives.
    FARC terrorists have held three
    American citizens
    hostage

    [[Page 388]]

    in jungle camps for more than 5 years, making them the longest held
    American hostages anywhere in the world.
        The challenge posed by these terrorists is compounded by the
    hostility and aggression of some of Colombia's neighbors. The regime in
    Caracas has railed against America, has forged an alliance with
    Communist Cuba, has met with FARC leaders in Venezuela, has deployed
    troops to the Colombian border. In the process, regime leaders have
    squandered their oil wealth and left their people to face food
    shortages.
        Recently, when Colombian forces killed one of the FARC's most senior
    leaders, they discovered computer files that suggest even closer ties
    between Venezuela's regime and FARC terrorists than we previously knew.
    Colombia officials are investigating the ties, but this much should be
    clear: The United States strongly supports, strongly stands with
    Colombia in its fight against the terrorists and drug lords.
        President Uribe has remained focused
    on strengthening Colombia's democracy. Over the past 6 years,
    kidnapings, terrorist attacks, and murders of labor activists have all
    dropped by more than 75 percent. Police are on the streets. Tens of
    thousands of paramilitary fighters have been demobilized. And Colombia's
    murder rate has fallen substantially.
        At the same time, Colombia's economy has shown strong growth.
    Poverty and unemployment have declined. Trade and investment have
    increased substantially. That's what we want. We want less violence in
    our neighborhood and more prosperity in our neighborhood. We want our
    neighbors to be prosperous.
        President Uribe has been an
    unshakeable partner for the United States. He's answered to hundreds of
    requests to extradite criminals to our country. And with the assistance
    from Plan Colombia, a program first supported by President Bill
    Clinton and continued under my
    administration, he's cracked down on drug trafficking. He constantly
    speaks out against anti-Americanism. By any measure, he has been one of
    the most--our most reliable and effective allies. And this trade
    agreement is the way to signal our strong support for President Uribe.
    It's the way to help this country develop more momentum toward peace.
        Despite the record of success, some in Congress came--claim Colombia
    needs to do more before a treat agreement--the trade agreement can be
    approved. But this is unrealistic, and it is unfair. If Members of
    Congress truly want Colombia to make further progress, then it makes no
    sense to block the very measure that would make progress more likely.
        Our fellow citizens have got to know that across the hemisphere and
    across the globe, people are waiting to see what the Members of Congress
    will do. In other words, this isn't just one of these isolated votes
    that gets no attention outside of Washington, this is a vote that is
    being observed very carefully by people across the world. Voices from
    near and far are urging Congress to make the right decision. Members of
    Congress from both parties travel to Colombia. They have seen firsthand
    the progress that President Uribe is
    making. Business leaders from many backgrounds, along with current and
    former Senators, Congressmens, mayors, diplomats, National Security
    Council people, Cabinet members from both parties--I emphasize, from
    both parties--support this agreement.
        In other words, it's just not me talking. There's a lot of people
    who understand the importance of this agreement. Our allies have made
    their position clear. I want the Members of Congress to hear what the
    Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper,
    said. He said, ``If the U.S. turns its back on its friends in Colombia,
    this will set back our cause far more than any Latin American dictator
    can hope to achieve.'' Those are wise words and words worth listening
    to. Congress needs to listen to the voices, and they need to pass this
    important piece of legislation.

    [[Page 389]]

        The national security benefits are only part of the cause for this
    agreement. Both our economies stand to gain as well. Today, virtually
    all exports from Colombia enter our country duty free. And yet many U.S.
    exports going to Colombia face heavy tariffs. Goods coming from
    Colombia, duty free; our goods going to Colombia get taxed. That doesn't
    seem fair to me. I know the folks here understand that if you reduce
    tariffs, it's more likely we'll send more goods. Doesn't it make sense
    for Congress to say to Colombia, treat America the way we treat you,
    which is precisely what this trade deal does?
        A banana grown in Colombia enters the United States duty free. An
    apple grown in Pennsylvania or an orange grown in Florida is subject to
    a 15-percent tariff when it's exported to Colombia. Doesn't it make
    sense for the Federal Government to try to eliminate that tariff? I
    think it does. If you're growing oranges, it does. If you're growing
    apples, it does. And if you're shipping goods and services--or goods
    from this port to Colombia, it makes sense to make it easier to ship
    more goods.
        That's why I talk about level the playing field. They estimate this
    will help 9,000 U.S. companies export to Colombia, most of which are
    small and midsized companies. Level the playing field is going to help
    hundreds of thousands of employees who work at these companies. And
    level the playing field will create new opportunities for exporters and
    dock workers who ship heavy machinery and glass and chemicals and
    electronics and paper and other products to Colombia from this port,
    people just like the folks seated right here.
        Earlier today I had a chance to tour this company with Magnus
    Lindeback, Captain Magnus Lindeback. The
    man is living the American Dream. You talk to Magnus, he's about as
    proud of American as you can find. He might not have been born here, but
    he loves it here. And he loves the people that work with him, and he's
    very proud of the fact that this company has grown from 2 employees to
    over 250. And he cares about each and every employee.
        And here's why the Colombia free trade agreement matters to a--are
    you small or midsize? I'd call you--oh, midsize. You say small; I say
    midsize. Okay, small. [Laughter] Here's why it matters to a small-sized,
    midsized company like Coastal Maritime. [Laughter] Coastal Maritime--
    about a quarter of its cargo goes to Colombia. So in other words, if
    you're somebody wondering whether you're going to have a job and a
    fellow comes along and says, ``Would you like to be able to sell more
    goods to Colombia? After all, a quarter of your revenues go to
    Colombia,'' I think the answer ought to be, yes, we want to be able to
    access more of Colombia. We're good at what we're doing now.
        They send, by the way, mining equipment, bulldozers, and cranes.
    Magnus doesn't make the cranes and
    bulldozers and mining equipment. He just ships it. But somebody in
    America is making the cranes, and somebody in America is making the
    bulldozers. And so when you think about trade, you're not only thinking
    about dock workers who are working good jobs because of trade, but
    somebody has got to make the products that the people in Colombia are
    buying as well.
        If Colombia approves the free trade agreement, Coastal Maritime
    estimates that the volume of products they ship to Colombia would
    increase by 20 to 50 percent in a short period of time.
    Magnus says he's going to use the extra
    revenues for two purposes: to reinvest in technology and equipment--like
    that crane we--a guy tried to get me to drive over there--[laughter]--I
    told him I was a history major--[laughter]--and he wants to raise wages
    for his workers.
        I want to quote Magnus: ``Trade is our
    entire business. All our workers depend on it. An increased volume of
    cargo to Colombia would be tremendous from us because the more cargo we
    have to handle, the more revenue is generated.''

    [[Page 390]]

        American exporters aren't the only ones who will benefit. The free
    trade agreement will guarantee permanent duty-free access to the U.S.
    market for businesses in Colombia. And why is that important? Because it
    will help them attract investment and stimulate growth. It will lead to
    additional opportunities at a port such as this. The more prosperous our
    neighborhood, the more commerce there will be. And the more commerce
    there is, it's more likely to pass through a port just like this. We
    want people doing well. We want programs that are good for small
    businesses and farmers. And that's exactly what this vote will be. And
    it's important. And it's an important vote for the United States
    Congress to understand. It's in our national security interests and
    economic security interests.
        And during this time of economic uncertainty, when consumer spending
    and investment is slowing down, it's important to understand the role
    trade has made for our economy. Last year, exports accounted for more
    than 40 percent of our total growth. That's good news. Export is
    continuing. This January, exports were up more than 16 percent over last
    January. If you're worried about the economy, it seems like you ought to
    be sending a clear signal that the United States of America will
    continue to trade, not shut down trade. And that's what this Colombia
    vote says.
        And once Congress approves the free trade agreement with Colombia,
    they can--then they can approve one with Panama. And once they finish
    one with Panama, then they can do one with South Korea. All these
    agreements are important. These agreements to important to enhance our
    friendship, but these are good for our economy.
        Now, I fully understand that trade makes people nervous. It doesn't
    make these folks nervous because they understand the benefits firsthand.
    And in a political year, you hear all kinds of things about trade. One
    of the things people say is that people lose their jobs because of
    trade. Well, in the manufacturing sector, sometimes that's right, but a
    lot of times it's a result of productivity increases. In other words,
    technology changes, and one worker can produce three times as much as he
    or she used to be able to, and therefore, same output with fewer
    workers.
        But whatever the case is, the question is, what should we do about
    people who aren't working? One alternative is to say, it's all because
    of trade, let's quit trading. Then people here lose work. The other
    opportunity is to focus on good educational programs. You know, we could
    cut ourselves off, or we could have faith in our capacity to compete and
    focus on helping individuals. I choose the latter.
        I believe strongly that we can help people gain extra skills with
    smart programs. That's why my budget requests $3 billion to educate and
    prepare workers for the 21st century. I'm a big believer,
    Governor, in community colleges. I think our
    community colleges are great places for people to gain the skills
    necessary to fill the jobs of the 21st century. So rather than resort to
    protectionism and say, let's shut down our trading opportunities, why
    don't we resort to education to give people the skills necessary to fill
    the jobs for the 21st century here in the United States of America?
        Now, you're going to hear the word trade adjustment assistance
    talked about in Congress. And these two Congress folks understand what I'm
    talking about. That basically says that we're going to have education
    programs aimed at helping people find skills. And I'm a supporter. And I
    believe it's important that trade adjustment be a component of our trade
    policy. I look forward to working with Congress to reform it and to
    reauthorize it, to make sure it does the job that it could do--is
    supposed to do--just like I'm looking forward to signing those trade
    bills, particularly starting with the one from Colombia.
        I--so I've come here as a vivid reminder to people in Congress who
    wonder whether or not trade is positive for America. It is.

    [[Page 391]]

    It's economically a good deal for our country. And I do have confidence
    that Congress will get it right. It may take a little persuading. It's
    going to take a lot of hard work. Oh, it may take some of you having to
    write letters to your Senators and Congressmen to remind them that trade
    is good. Confident nations are free traders.
        But trade also means making sure we get treated right, that they
    treat us the way we treat them. That's all we're asking. That's what
    this agreement says: Just treat us fairly. Because America can compete
    with anybody, anytime, anywhere, as long as the playing field is level.
        And so I've come to talk about our economy and a key issue facing
    you. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to be in your midst. I'm
    proud of the work you do here. And may God bless you and God continue to
    bless the United States of America.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:13 p.m. at the Blount Island Marine
    Terminal. In his remarks, he referred to Ricardo Morales, Jr., chairman
    of the board of directors, Jacksonville Port Authority; Magnus
    Lindeback, chief executive officer, Coastal Maritime Stevedoring, LLC;
    and Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes, and Keith Stansell, hostages held by
    the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The Office of the
    Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of these
    remarks.