House changes rules to delay Colombia FTA vote

The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday mostly along party lines to change the rules for deliberating on trade deals negotiated under fast-track authority and postpone consideration of the Colombia Free Trade Agreement.

The change in internal rules will give Speaker Nancy Pelosi unlimited time, rather than the 60-day timetable specified in the trade promotion law, to bring the implementing legislation to the floor for a vote. The Bush administration concluded the deal with Colombia 16 months ago, and with time running out in the president's term, it decided to force the action by forwarding the pact for approval after Democratic leaders refused to give the green light to send the legislation to the Hill.

Many Democrats oppose the trade pact because of paramilitary violence against labor activists in Colombia. Pelosi said she told President Bush that the House wouldn't consider the matter until the White House agreed to more economic stimulus measures such as aid for workers whose jobs are outsourced abroad and unemployment benefit extensions.

The administration and Republican leaders criticized Pelosi in unusually harsh terms.

Today's unprecedented and unfortunate action by the House of Representatives -- led by Speaker Pelosi -- to change the rules governing legislation to implement our trade agreement with Colombia is damaging to our economy, our national security, and our relations with an important ally. It also undermines the trust required for any administration to negotiate trade agreements in the future, Bush said in a statement

During the debate, House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said, according to the Washington Post: We're doing nothing here but hurting American businesses and American workers. Why? I think the speaker made it very clear. This action today is nothing short of political blackmail.

And there was this blistering aside from John Walters, director of national drug control policy: This action is deeply irresponsible and betrays a lack of seriousness in dealing with an important U.S. ally at a critical time. Multiple, critical national interests and a steadfast American ally are to be sacrificed for the most misguided of partisan special interests. This is unworthy of the trust our citizens have placed in their national leaders -- it is shameful. Speaker Pelosi got her 3 a.m. call and said, not answering it. The Bush administration views the government of Alvaro Uribe as a strong U.S. ally in the region and needs support to continue its effort to eradicate drug production.

Pelosi has said the president must deal with other priorities first before she is willing to proceed on the Colombia trade pact, but the Washington Post reported that key Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee want to fundamentally reshape trade policy in the next administration. They do not plan on renewing fast-track trade promotion authority unless it is changed to include more congressional participation and ability to amend any deal. Under the fast-track law that expired last summer, Congress can only vote up or down on a trade deal negotiated by the president.

Source: American Shipper