Administration wants to send trade pacts to Congress before recess

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Sunday, 06.19.11
Administration wants to send trade pacts to Congress before recess

They are part of a comprehensive trade agenda that President Obama says will help create jobs for U.S. workers
By MIMI WHITEFIELD
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The Obama administration hopes to send all three pending free trade agreements — Colombia, Panama, and Korea — to Congress before the August recess.

Initially, the plan had been to try for Congressional approval of the Korea trade pact first because it would have the greatest economic impact and then submit the Panama and Colombia accords later.

But Kevin Sullivan, the state department’s point man on economic policy in the Western Hemisphere, said in a recent interview that the plan is now to send all three agreements to Congress separately but over the next few months. Technical discussions on the trade pacts are now going on at the Congressional staff level.

“Now it seems like the stars are in alignment — it’s that important to us,’’ said Sullivan.

More:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/06/19/2272767/administration-wants-to-send-trade.html

LBN:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4890021