Political Quotes

“I rise today regarding the extension of the Andean Trade Preference Act, ATPA. This program, which has been in place for approaching two decades, has broadened economic opportunities in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru as an alternative to illegal drug production and trafficking. With the current extension of this program expiring tomorrow, it is important that Congress is acting this week to extend the program for an additional 10 months. The extension should allow necessary time for passage of the U.S.-Colombia FTA, implementation of the Peru FTA, and continued commerce for Andean producers and U.S. consumers and importers. However, this extension does not minimize the continued need for the timely advancement of the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, FTA, which would deepen our two nation's important relationship, broaden market opportunities for U.S. producers and companies, and provide longer term certainty for Colombian exporters and workers that short-term ATPA extensions do not provide.”