Bush calls for action on trade agreements

President Bush on Friday called on Congress to pass three trade agreements with Latin American countries as soon as possible in an address in Miami that focused exclusively on trade.

{mosads}Taking aim at what he said were “troubling signs” that protectionist calls are gaining strength in Congress and the U.S., Bush engaged in a defense of free-trade policies, a hallmark of his administration that has resulted in numerous clashes with Democrats.

Bush said critics who say U.S. college graduates will increasingly see a future of flipping burgers are wrong. “More exports support better and higher-paying jobs, and that’s important for our citizens to understand,” he said. Bush cited economic statistics Thursday that showed a declining U.S. trade deficit and the 49th consecutive month in which the U.S. economy grew.

The president said he believes strongly that trade must be expanded in order to make sure “that the historic records we set in the last couple of days continue…”

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) noted that the U.S. has shed 3.1 million manufacturing jobs under Bush’s watch, something critics charge is a result of trade agreements. Others point to additional explanations for the loss of manufacturing jobs, such as technological improvements.

The presidential address follows weeks of efforts by the administration to build pressure on Congress to move trade agreements with Peru, Colombia and Panama. Congress appears close to a vote on Peru, but passage of the other two deals is in doubt.

Bush acknowledged that issues must be worked out for Congress to approve the Panama deal, which has been endangered by the election in that country of a man wanted in the U.S. for murdering an American soldier. The president said his administration would continue to work with Congress and Panama “to address the issues necessary to get it approved.”

The Colombia deal has been hung up as the result of Democratic complaints over the level of violence in that country against labor organizers, but Bush insisted Colombia’s government has made improvements.

“Colombia’s record is not perfect, but the country is clearly headed in the right direction and is asking for our help,” he said.