Sam Farr: “Mr. Chairman, I rise with concern over this amendment. The amendment expresses a sense of Congress. Colombia is in a…”

“Mr. Chairman, I rise with concern over this amendment. The amendment expresses a sense of Congress. Colombia is in a very grave situation right now. Its 40-year-old government guerrilla struggle and the latter day antidrug struggle is critical. The Colombian flower growers have been one of its most successful enterprises in Latin America, but not without help from our country. Our country allowed Colombian flowers into this country duty free. There is a downside to the Colombian success, the injury done to U.S. flower growers. We might note that since 1992, 50 percent of the U.S. carnation producers have left the business, 39 percent of the mini-carnation producers have left the business, 54 percent of the U.S. chrysanthemum producers have left the business, and 41 percent of the rose growers have left the business. U.S. flower growers do not get acknowledged by U.S. Congress. Nor do they get any Federal help. Well, I am here to congratulate those businesses in Colombia that are doing well. I think that the flower growers are a good enterprise for Colombia. Let us not forget or let us not do this praise without remembering that there is a downside, because all of those Colombian flowers get into the United States free of duty.”