Political Quotes

“I am pleased to say that just last month, the Obama administration announced that Colombia has fully complied with its commitments under the Labor Action Plan that was set for completion in mid-September. At the same time, the State Department also notified that Colombia is meeting statutory criteria relating to human rights that call for the obligation of U.S. assistance funds for the Colombian Armed Forces. Let's pass this agreement. Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, Congress was right in refusing to take up the Colombia FTA when it was signed in 2006. Supporters of the FTA now talk about those years as Colombia's dark past, but they supported the FTA then just as they do now. The House was right to block the FTA in 2008. Supporters then extolled the virtues of the Uribe government, but Colombia's new Attorney General has revealed mind-boggling corruption in every agency of Uribe's government. Criminal acts were the norm. I believe the Santos government is Colombia's best chance to bring about much needed reforms and institutional change. I want him to succeed, but goodwill is not enough. We have had promises before. We need time to see if good intentions result in concrete change on labor and human rights. This is Tito Diaz. He was the mayor of El Roble in Sucre. In 2003, he denounced the links between public officials and paramilitaries. For this, he was tortured and murdered.…”