16 Senators Ask President To Act on Stalled Korea, Colombia and Panama FTAs
On June 1, 2010, 16 Republican Senators1 sent a letter to the President asking that the governments of Korea, Colombia, and Panama be provided a well-defined and finite list of the outstanding issues they need to accomplish in order for the U.S. to take action on the stalled free trade agreements with these nations, and a specific timeline for the enactment of the FTAs.
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In the letter, the Senators state that despite the President’s recent comments reiterating support for the completion of the Korean, Colombian, and Panamanian FTAs, there has been little substantial progress in their enactment. The letter notes that immediate consideration of these FTAs has never been so important as the European Union has negotiated trade agreements with a number of Central American countries (including Panama) and Korea.
Senators Say President Must Act on FTAs if He is Serious About Doubling Exports
According to the Senators, ratification by Congress of the Korean, Colombian and Panamanian FTAs would be the catalyst for significant economic growth and job creation in the U.S. The Senators note that if the President is serious about doubling U.S. exports over the next five years and confronting the U.S. unemployment rate, the President needs to take action on the FTAs.
1Senators Hatch, Bond, Roberts, Bennett, Crapo, Enzi, Brown, Inhofe, Kyl, Brownback, Bunning, Coburn, LeMieux, Wicker, Cornyn, and Ensign.