Senator McConnell Visits Chamber to Rally Support for Colombia FTA

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) kicked off World Trade Week by encouraging the U.S. Chamber and the Latin American Trade Coalition to continue the fight on the hill for a U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) during a meeting held May 19 at the Chamber headquarters. The meeting with McConnell came one day before over 300 Latin American Trade Coalition and other business representatives canvassed Capitol Hill to garner support for the Colombia FTA.

McConnell advised the coalition to concentrate on getting bipartisan support, since the main roadblock to the Colombia FTA's passage is the lack of pressure in the House to hold a hearing on the agreement. McConnell is hopeful that if the agreement were to pass the House it could pass the Senate as part of a broader trade adjustment assistance (TAA) bill.

The Chamber's Nicole Venable stressed that the Chamber and coalition members are working to obtain this support by holding open discussions across party lines on determining what provisions are needed to get lawmakers behind the agreement. The coalition, the Chamber, and McConnell also stressed the importance of keeping the Colombia FTA in the news so it does not die in the House due to lack of interest.

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