Kevin Brady: “The reason this country is so dismayed by the action last week is that it was such a huge loss for American jobs, for…”

“The reason this country is so dismayed by the action last week is that it was such a huge loss for American jobs, for security in our hemisphere, and a big loss for America's prestige around the world. Colombia's a remarkable trading partner, as you have noted. They are a remarkable study and model in progress, in democracy, and human rights, pulling themselves up by their bootstraps by rule of law and freedom of speech and freedom of trade, all the American traits that you have to admire. They're in our backyard. They're in our hemisphere. A remarkable trading partner. I think last week many in America wondered just what happened to this great country. Who could imagine that America, with the world's largest economy, would cower from Colombia behind walls of protectionism? Who could imagine the world's strongest democracy would be afraid to even debate, even consider this agreement? And who could imagine, by changing the rules after we had already shaken hands and signed an agreement, that we would send a signal to the rest of the world that we are no longer not even a reliable trade leader in this world but we are not even reliable negotiators, that our word, our bond, our agreements mean nothing?”