Press Releases

James P. McGovern (MA)

H.R. 3078, the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

I thank the gentleman, Rep. Levin, for his tremendous leadership on behalf of workers in America and Colombia.

M. Chairman, the Colombia FTA is bad for American workers; bad for jobs; and bad for Colombian workers, small farmers and human rights defenders.

Colombia is still a country in conflict that affects thousands every year.

We know Colombia is the most dangerous place in the world to be a trade unionist.

But it also suffers from over 4 million internally displaced, second only to Sudan.

Over a million Colombians are refugees in neighboring countries.

They are fleeing terrifying, crippling violence from paramilitaries, guerrillas, and even Colombia's own army.

And after the people leave, drug traffickers, criminals, and wealthy interests come in and take over.

This FTA will only increase that vicious cycle. Nearly every study done asserts that the FTA will push even more small farmers off their land. They will either be forced to join the ranks of the displaced; grow coca; or join the guerrillas or paramilitaries just to feed their families. They won't be buying American goods, M. Chairman!

And when Colombian workers have no rights, then there's no level playing field for American workers. And that costs jobs.

This FTA is set up to help the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. It's the last thing Colombia's workers, farmers and human rights defenders need.

Finally, M. Chairman, let me ask my colleagues in this Chamber, do human rights matter anymore?

If so, we should not be debating this FTA today. We should be waiting until we see real, honest-to-goodness results on the ground in terms of improvements of human rights.

When it comes to human rights, M. Chairman, the United States of America should not be a cheap date. We should stand firm, and we should be unabashed in our support for human rights.

Vote NO on the Colombia FTA.