On the recordOctober 11, 2011
I thank my good friend from Michigan for yielding. Madam Speaker, at a time when millions of American families are struggling and when so many people are looking for work, passage of this U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement should be a top priority for all of us; but there is more at stake than just increased exports. South Korea is a key U.S. ally in an unstable region of the world where tens of thousands of our U.S. troops stand on guard against aggression and where U.S. interests are increasingly under threat from China and other countries. At a time when much of the world is waiting to see if the U.S. will retreat from our responsibilities, passage of this free trade agreement will serve as a clear demonstration of our enduring commitment to our ally South Korea and to our determination to defend our interests throughout East Asia. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote for this U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement and for the creation of tens of thousands of American jobs for the many families who are desperately in need of them.
