The House Committee on Ways and Means has approved the U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement with 24 votes in favor and 12 votes against.
Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp said “These agreements enjoy broad bipartisan, bicameral support and are the product of a lot of hard work from all sides. I would also like to extend my appreciation to the president for sending these trade agreements to Congress.”
The free trade agreement will now go to the Committee on Finance, and the full House before finally being sent to the Oval Office. The FTA was held up by deadlock with Republicans over aid for workers who lost their jobs to competition from overseas.
However assurances over labor rights which President Obama won from Colombia in the Labor Action Plan in April are not in the bill.
“There remain troubling problems with how Colombia is addressing key elements related to the Action Plan. The flaws are magnified by the failure to incorporate the Action Plan in the implementation bill as a result of the adamant refusal of Republicans, and the Obama administration’s acquiescence to that refusal.” said Sander Levin Democratic Representative for Michigan.