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Bush to "sprint to finish" on trade deals: Schwab |
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Posted by Truth About Trade & Technology
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Friday, 05 September 2008 |
Reuters
Original Publish Date: September 4, 2008
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration still believes it can overcome significant opposition in Congress and win approval of trade deals with Colombia, Panama and South Korea before the end of the year, U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said on Thursday.
"We are, needless to say, in a sprint to the finish. Congress will return next week and when it comes to international trade, they have a lot left to finish before they go home for the year," Schwab said in a speech on business opportunities for minority-owned business in global trade.
U.S. business groups plan a rally next week to push for approval of all three agreements in the short time left on this year's legislative calendar.
Congressional leaders have said they plan to be in session for just a few weeks once lawmakers return from a longer-than-usual August recess because of the Republican and Democratic party presidential nominating conventions.
Democrats, such as the party's presidential candidate Barack Obama, have insisted that Colombia do more to stop murders and other violence against trade unionists before Congress votes on the pact.
Obama also has said he wants to renegotiate "flawed" manufacturing and agricultural provisions of the South Korean free trade pact.
The Panama trade deal is the least controversial of the three now that a Panamanian lawmaker wanted in the United States on charges of killing a U.S. soldier in 1992 has stepped down as head of Panama's National Assembly.
Obama has cited that lawmaker's position as head of the legislature as his main reason for opposing the Panama agreement. Obama has not said whether he now supports the pact.
Some business supporters hold out hope that one or more of the agreements could be approved late this year if Congress holds a "lame duck" session after the November 4 presidential and congressional elections.
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