Political Quotes

“I feel a sense of urgency about passage of the FTAs before us. Urgency because while we have been waiting on the passage of the agreements, South Korea has moved forward on trade with Europe, and Colombia and Panama are moving forward on several bilaterals of their own with Canada, China, and others. And trade is never just about economics. It's also about our relationships with other nations, our allies. It's about strengthening the rule of law, and it's about deepening ties. A recent report by the Council on Foreign Relations said it well, ``Trade has been and remains a major strategic instrument of American foreign policy. It binds together countries in a broad and deep economic network that constitutes a bulwark against conflict.'' But let me also talk specifically about the Colombia free trade agreement. {time} 1830 Many of my colleagues have talked today about the violent past in Colombia and of the remaining vestiges of that past. Having traveled extensively in Colombia over the last decade, I can tell you personally that Colombia is not what it used to be. It's far from it. Even if it is not where it wants to be just yet, there has been major progress in Colombia, and this has been with a tremendous amount of cooperation with and between our great nations. The agreement with Colombia certainly has its many economic benefits for America. We are leveling the playing field for American business.…”