Bipartisan group of lawmakers urge Obama to back Colombia free trade pact

A bipartisan group of House members is urging President Barack Obama to
support approval of the U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement.

In a
letter to the president this week, the group of 39 representatives said
the pact would open a new market for American goods and help the
administration accomplish its goal of doubling U.S. exports over the
next five years. The letter pushed for the agreement, which was signed
more than three years ago, to be approved before August, when Colombian
President Alvaro Uribe leaves office.

{mosads}The lawmakers also cited Colombia’s status as an ally in the fight
against drug trafficking and terrorism, saying the agreement would
bolster the ties between the two nations.

“For the benefit of
our economy and our national security, we urge you to resolve any
outstanding obstacles to the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement,
submit the agreement to Congress, and support its prompt approval,”
wrote the lawmakers, led by Reps. Albio Sires (D-N.J.) and David
Dreier (R-Calif.). “We believe the implementing legislation would have
strong, bipartisan support in Congress, and we stand with you to ensure
its passage.”

Other congressmen signing the letter included Reps. Silvestre Reyes
(D-Tex.), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), Paul Ryan
(R-Wisc.), Norm Dicks (D-Wa.) and Pete Sessions (R-Tex.).

The
House letter comes after 15 Republican senators wrote to Obama earlier
this week asking him to speed passage of trade agreements with
Colombia, Korea and Panama – all of which have been held over from the
George W. Bush administration. Backers of the pacts have complained
that Obama has not moved faster to implement them, despite his
professed support for the accords.

Obama reiterated his support for the agreements in a recent speech
to the Business Roundtable. Approval in Congress could be tricky in a
weak economy, however, as lawmakers from industrial states have
criticized trade agreements for sending U.S. jobs overseas.