On the recordOctober 3, 2011
Again, I appreciate the gentleman from New York for his leadership on this key jobs issue. With so many Americans out of work, the President was standing in this Chamber not too many days ago urging Republicans and Democrats to come together to create new jobs. Can you imagine if there was an issue that the White House and Congress both agreed on, that Republicans and Democrats across the spectrum supported, a bill that created jobs not by government spending but by allowing the free market to do its work, to granting economic freedom to Americans to buy and sell and compete in key markets throughout the world? Well, today we have that issue. It is the three pending sales agreements with Korea, Colombia, and Panama. As we have said tonight, they represent almost $13 billion of new sales for American companies, because we know we have to seek and compete and win around the world for these new customers. We know, too, that these agreements have been delayed far too long. Colombia is an old and trusted friend who's made remarkable progress in the economy, in labor rights, in human rights, in environmental issues. Today we're on the cusp finally of passing a free trade agreement that recognizes our security relationship and our economic relationship. Today we have that opportunity. I thank the President for sending these agreements to us.…
