Leaders Pledge Support in Helping Approve Pending Trade Agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea

Contact: Michael Steel, Antonia Ferrier, Kevin Smith, 202-225-4000

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 /Standard Newswire/ -- Following up on a discussion at the White House Wednesday on the importance of trade to creating more American jobs, House GOP leaders sent a letter to President Obama urging swift action on pending trade agreements to Colombia, Panama and South Korea to help create jobs and offering their support to help his efforts to approve these trade agreements. 

"We were encouraged during our meeting yesterday by your positive outlook on advancing and implementing pending trade promotion agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea," the leaders wrote to President Obama.  "We agree with you that these trade agreements provide important new commercial opportunities that will benefit our economy and create jobs without adding to our nation's staggering budget deficit, and we stand ready to work with you to implement each agreement on a bipartisan basis right now."

"Bipartisan support for implementing trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea already exists," the leaders continued.  "In the interest of supporting American job creation, we ask that you jump-start the implementation process through your leadership, particularly by promoting all of these pending trade agreements when you speak to the nation in your State of the Union address.  We offer our full support for your efforts and look forward to an opportunity to work steadfastly with you to implement each of these agreements as close to the start of next year as possible."

The letter to President Obama -- signed by Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH), Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA), Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN), and Ways & Means Committee Ranking Republican Dave Camp (R-MI) -- is available HERE and follows:

December 10, 2009

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama:

We were encouraged during our meeting yesterday by your positive outlook on advancing and implementing pending trade promotion agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.  We agree with you that these trade agreements provide important new commercial opportunities that will benefit our economy and create jobs without adding to our nation's staggering budget deficit, and we stand ready to work with you to implement each agreement on a bipartisan basis right now.

In a recent speech, you said that increasing U.S. exports by just one percent would create more than 250,000 jobs.  Independent reviews by the International Trade Commission estimated that implementing pending trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea would increase U.S. exports by more than one percent.  Based on these reviews by the Commission, more than a quarter of a million American jobs could be created if these trade agreements are implemented.  A study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, however, determined that not implementing these agreements could cost our nation jobs.  According to the study, the United States could shed more than 380,000 jobs and lose more than $40 billion in export sales if pending trade agreements with Colombia and South Korea are not implemented. 

Despite the body of analysis showing that trade agreements create jobs, past experience has demonstrated trade agreements can unfortunately be controversial.  As a result, implementing trade agreements requires a great deal of time, attention and cooperation between Congress and the White House.  Opening the door to new customers for American employers as soon as possible, especially at a time when businesses are critically short on customers, will have a direct and positive impact on supporting and creating American jobs.  Given the stark choice between job creation through action or job loss through inaction, and the heightened controversial nature of trade agreements as elections approach, there is simply no reason for further delay.

Bipartisan support for implementing trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea already exists.  In the interest of supporting American job creation, we ask that you jump-start the implementation process through your leadership, particularly by promoting all of these pending trade agreements when you speak to the nation in your State of the Union address.  We offer our full support for your efforts and look forward to an opportunity to work steadfastly with you to implement each of these agreements as close to the start of next year as possible.

Sincerely,

John Boehner
Member of Congress                                                                                                

Eric Cantor
Member of Congress

Mike Pence
Member of Congress                                                                                                

Dave Camp
Member of Congress