Bush said his administration will work hard to get lawmakers to pass the agreement with Colombia, then push them to pass free trade pacts with Panama and South Korea as well. The Colombia deal is thought to be the only free trade pact with any chance of clearing Congress this year.”Time is running out and we must not let delay turn into inaction,” Bush said in a speech to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s legislative conference.Bush said free trade with Colombia would help advance U.S. economic and national security interests. He said Colombian President Alvaro Uribe should be rewarded for his efforts to promote democracy and fight violence and drug trafficking.”The agreement would signal to the region that America’s commitment to free markets and free people is unshakable,” Bush said.
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