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Contact: McCall Avery 202-225-4201

Sam Johnson rips Speaker Pelosi for thwarting Colombia trade agreement


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Washington, Apr 10 -

Today U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (3rd Dist.-Texas) released the following statement after the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.) squashed the Colombia Free Trade Agreement.  The proposal would have opened up a new market to U.S. products as well as protect and create more American jobs. 

According to The Washington Post, “At the moment, Colombian exports to the United States already enjoy preferences.  The trade agreement would make those permanent, but it would also give U.S. firms free access to Colombia for the first time, thus creating U.S. jobs.  Politically, too, the agreement is in the American interest, as a reward to a friendly, democratic government that has made tremendous strides on human rights, despite harassment from Venezuela's Hugo Chávez.” 

Johnson serves on the Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over international trade.

“By squashing the Colombia free trade agreement, Nancy Pelosi has catered to freedom-hating dictators like Hugo Chávez and Fidel Castro.  She picked helping Hugo Chávez over helping American farmers, ranchers and small-business owners who were hoping to finally gain access to the growing South American market.

“As the Speaker of the House, she should know better than to play San Francisco politics with international policy.

“A vital ally in a tumultuous region, Colombia has gone to great lengths to thrive in Hugo Chávez’s backyard.  Instead of reaching out to our friend, Colombia, Nancy Pelosi abrogated an agreement and disgraced our Nation.  By stopping this agreement for her political gain, she has smeared the reputation of the United States.”

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