[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 49 (Monday, December 10, 2007)]
[Page 1564]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Senate Approval of a Free Trade Agreement With Peru

December 4, 2007

    I commend the Senate for approving the free trade agreement with 
Peru with strong bipartisan support. This agreement will level the 
playing field for American exporters and investors and will expand an 
important market in this hemisphere for U.S. goods and services, which 
will help strengthen economic growth and job creation in the United 
States. Approval of this agreement also signals our firm support for 
those who share our values of freedom and democracy and expanding 
opportunity for all.
    Today's action by the Senate also marks the approval of the first 
free trade agreement that fulfills the May 10 bipartisan trade agreement 
with Congress by incorporating enforceable labor and environmental 
standards. I look forward to signing this legislation into law and urge 
Congress to promptly consider and approve our other pending free trade 
agreements, starting with Colombia, which would be important to the 
stability of the region, and including Panama and South Korea.

Note: The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language 
transcript of this statement.