On the recordOctober 12, 2011
I rise to urge my colleagues to lend their swift support to the pending free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama that have at last come before this Chamber. In approving these FTAs, we have an opportunity to show the American people that we in Congress are prepared to set aside partisan politics and come together to do something truly important to help our nation at a time when our economy is under unprecedented pressure. Simply put, free trade agreements like the ones before us today are not a choice for the United States--they are a necessity. As President Clinton used to point out, only 4 percent of the world's population lives in the United States, and there is only so much we can sell to each other. Creating new jobs and growing our economy requires tapping into the other 96 percent. And that requires breaking down trade barriers and lowering tariffs so that American goods can reach more consumers at a price they can afford. That is precisely what these three FTAs will accomplish. This legislation is a jobs bill that won't add a dime to the deficit. Instead, it will add $10 to $12 billion to our GDP, grow U.S. exports by $13 to $15 billion, and support an additional 100,000 American jobs. These FTAs are not only critical for our economic recovery, however. They are essential to our global leadership and our national security. In the case of the Korea-U.S.…
