Pending Free Trade Agreements
On Monday, the White House formally submitted to Congress free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea.  While President Obama’s action on these three pending agreements is long overdue, I welcome his decision to finally send real job-creating solutions to Congress this week. Free trade agreements are proven job creators, and I am encouraged by this crucial step to getting our nation’s economy back on track.

I have long supported free trade agreements and strongly believe that eliminating trade barriers and expanding the market for exporters in the United States will mean more jobs for American workers.  Trade agreements are vital to jump-starting economic growth in our country, and I am encouraged by the House’s swift action to get these common-sense agreements to the floor for a vote.  The House Committee on Ways and Means passed the FTAs on Wednesday and my colleagues and I on the House Rules Committee met on them Thursday.  The House expects to vote on the trade pacts next week.

The Obama Administration’s tax-and-spend agenda has resulted in twenty-nine months of an unemployment rate at or above 9 percent, marking the worst unemployment since the Great Depression. That is why the President and the Democrat-led Senate should change directions and join House Republicans in supporting real job-creating solutions.  By supporting common-sense policies, job creators will gain a renewed sense of confidence that will allow them to invest, expand and hire again. 

House Republicans have led the fight in cutting spending and reducing the size of government so that our nation’s free enterprise system can flourish. Numerous jobs bills based on the pro-growth initiatives outlined in our Plan for America’s Job Creators have passed the House and are stalled in the Senate. I call on Senate Democrats to stand up and take action on House-passed bills to change our nation’s long-term fiscal trajectory, get Americans back to work and ensure a brighter future for generations to come.