[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 30 (Monday, August 1, 2005)]
[Page 1227]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on House of Representatives Passage of the Central American-
Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement

July 28, 2005

    I am proud that the House of Representatives has acted to advance 
America's economic and national security interests by passing the CAFTA-
DR agreement. CAFTA helps ensure that free trade is fair trade. By 
lowering trade barriers to American goods in Central American markets to 
a level now enjoyed by their goods in the U.S., this agreement will 
level the playing field and help American workers, farmers, and small 
businesses. The agreement is more than a trade bill; it is a commitment 
of freedom-loving nations to advance peace and prosperity throughout the 
Western Hemisphere. We have a moral obligation and a vital national 
security interest in helping the democracies of Central America and the 
Dominican Republic succeed, and CAFTA furthers that goal. I look forward 
to signing this important legislation into law.