FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2008
Contact: Alci Maldonado
Phone: 571-276-3109

RNHA Calls On Congress to Ratify Colombia Free Trade Agreement Without Delay

The Free Trade Agreement between the U.S. and Colombia, initially signed in November, 2006 and amended in May, 2007, is now before the Congress waiting for enabling legislation to put the agreement into effect. Now is the time to stand up and vote for a good agreement with key ally and not play politics with America's economic and national security interests.

The U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement will advance our national security by strengthening a key democratic ally and sending a clear message to the region. The agreement would bolster one of our closest friends in the hemisphere and rebut the negative forces in Latin America who say the United States cannot be trusted and who are attempting to move the region back towards the failed policies of populist communist ideology.

The U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement will bring economic gains for both countries. Over time, the agreement will reduce and later eliminate tariffs on American exports of industrial and consumer goods. This agreement will provide U.S. exporters to Colombia with duty-free access to this large and growing market. The agreement will also make permanent Colombia 's preferential access to the U.S. market.

Now is the time to let the Congress know that America expects them to do what is right for America . The RNHA urges interested parties to contact their Member of Congress, U.S. Senator, House and Senate leadership and members of the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee and let them know that the time to ratify the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement is NOW.

The following links provide contact information for individual Members of Congress and the Senate:
House - https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml
Senate - http://senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

The following links provide contact information for the leadership of the House of Representatives:
Speaker of the House - http://speaker.house.gov/contact/
Majority Leader - http://www.majorityleader.gov/contact.cfm
Minority Leader - http://republicanleader.house.gov/

Finally, the following links provide contact information for the chairman and ranking members for the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee:
House Ways and Means Chairman - http://waysandmeans.house.gov/contact.asp
House Ways and Means Ranking Member - http://mccrery.house.gov/FormCheck.asp
Senate Finance Chairman – http://baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm?subj=issue
Senate Finance Ranking Member - http://grassley.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home

The mission of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly is to build a membership organization to foster the principles of the Republican Party in the Hispanic community, provide Hispanic Americans with a forum to play an influential role in local, state, and national Party activities, increase the number of Hispanic Republican elected officials, and create and maintain a network of Hispanic Republican leaders.