President Barack Obama announced Thursday he will meet with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos,now that the two leaders have reached a free-trade agreement.
President Obama is committed to pursuing an ambitious trade agenda that will help grow our economy and support good jobs for U.S. workers by opening new markets, noted the White House team. To achieve that objective, we seek to provide a level playing field that creates economic opportunities for U.S. workers, companies, farmers and ranchers, and that ensures our trading partners have acceptable working conditions and respect fundamental labor rights.
The U.S.-Colombia Trade Agreement will expand U.S. goods exports alone by more than $1.1 billion and give key U.S. goods and services duty-free access in sectors from manufacturing to agriculture, continued the White House. It will increase U.S. GDP by $2.5 billion and support thousands of additional U.S. jobs.
The news won the applause of leaders across Florida on Wednesday.
Approving free-trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea has been delayed long enough, and I hope todays announcement on Colombia will finally clear the way for an immediate up-or-down vote in Congress on all three deals. I urge the president to send these agreements to Congress right away, said Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio. These agreements will be a boon to our economy, create jobs for Floridians, and help solidify our alliances with these steadfast partners. The agreements with Colombia and Panama in particular will boost Florida businesses, workers and farmers whose livelihoods rely on exports to these countries.
While todays news is welcome, it is long overdue, added Rubio. In fact, it is several years overdue, and our competitors in China and elsewhere have seized on our missed trade opportunities. It is my sincere hope that the administrations approach to Colombia and its handling of this agreement in particular do not diminish our relationship with Americas most important ally in Latin America.
With expansion of the Panama Canal being completed in 2014 and 2015, which will allow larger vessels to dock in Atlantic seaboard ports, Gov. Rick Scott said that the agreement could lead to more jobs in Florida.
"I applaud Congress and the White House for recognizing the importance of ratifying the trade deal with Colombia, which I maintain is important to turning Florida's economy around and creating jobs, said Scott. This is more important now than ever, since we have committed to expanding Floridas ports to bolster Florida's position as the gateway to South America and the shipping capital of the East Coast, and possibly the nation."
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
