Permanent duty-free status for flowers exported to the United States from Colombia remains on hold after the House voted April 10 to delay indefinitely its consideration of the controversial U.S./Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

President Bush has conceded that further action this year on the FTA is unlikely. Passage of the trade pact was a major goal of the Bush Administration. The delay was set in motion by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) after President Bush ignored her advice and sent the FTA to Congress without following established protocol of first getting support from congressional leaders.  

Federal law governing implementation of trade pacts provides Congress up to 90 legislative days to vote for or against the measure. The amended rule now postpones that vote indefinitely.

The president's decision to transmit the legislation to Congress irritated many lawmakers. But Democrats' opposition to the trade pact was already widespread because they believe the Colombian government has not done enough to reduce violence in the country, especially against trade unionists.

Democrats also insist that ratifying the trade pact hinges on expanding the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) program designed to help workers who lose their jobs because of foreign competition. The president has pledged to work with Democrats on the TAA.

Despite the president's pessimistic outlook for the FTA, House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) has asked Speaker Pelosi to "detail exactly" what issues she would like to see addressed before agreeing to bring the FTA to the House floor for a vote. Rep. Boehner requested Speaker Pelosi to respond by April 22. 

About 60 percent of flowers sold in the U.S. come from Colombia, and they enjoy duty-free access to U.S. markets under the Andean Trade Preference and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA). That act is set to expire Dec. 31, 2008. If it is not renewed, or if the U.S./Colombia FTA is not ratified, U.S. importers of record will begin paying duties on Colombian flowers.

--Drew Gruenburg
dgruenburg@safnow.org

 

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