United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act--Continued

Floor Speech

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Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, our country continues to struggle with the aftereffects of the housing bubble and the economic mistakes of the previous decade. There has been a great human cost to this economic slump--families forced out of their homes, shameful increases in child poverty, and a shrinking middle class.

President Obama has offered a number of steps to help heal our economy and put people back to work. One such plan includes a doubling of U.S. exports within five years. Exports are good for America and good for American jobs. They strengthen our manufacturing and agriculture sectors and in turn create good paying jobs. Quite simply, to help create more jobs here at home, we need to be able to access new markets and eliminate trade barriers for U.S. exporters.

At the same time, we must ensure that we engage not just in free trade, but fair trade--trade that upholds our values on labor, human rights, and environmental protections, fair treatment of U.S. products, and supports transparent markets.

That is why in my time in Congress I have always considered each potential trade agreement on a case by case basis.

This year, it was clear to me that we could not approve further free trade agreements if the trade adjustment assistance programs were not extended. We can't expand free trade without helping workers who may be displaced because of trade agreements. I strongly support and voted to extend the benefits under trade adjustment assistance. Since 2009, TAA has provided assistance to 447,235 workers--119,772 in Illinois--displaced due to trade agreements. It has provided training for workers as they transition to a new career, help with income, and health care tax credits to ease the transition.

Overall I believe in trade. I believe trade creates jobs. Illinois is the country's sixth largest exporter. Exports grew 19.6 percent from 2009 and totaled over $50 billion in 2010 and supported 540,000 jobs. In 2008 alone, nearly 17,000 companies exported goods from Illinois locations. Iconic Illinois companies like Caterpillar, John Deere, and Boeing rely on trade to grow their business and support workers in Illinois and across the country. Other industries, including Illinois agriculture, have used trade to expand markets and feed more and more of the world. Motorola, ADM, Illinois Tool Works, Navistar, Abbott, Fortune brands and many others rely on trade to help grow business here at home.

I also believe trade keeps America engaged in the world. It gives us economic and diplomatic leverage around the world. Too often in recent years we have sat on the sidelines while countries with emerging markets sign bilateral trade agreements with our competitors in the EU and elsewhere--too often at America's loss.

Last year, U.S. exports supported 9.2 million good paying American jobs. Every $1 billion in new exports supports 6,000 additional jobs here at home. The free trade agreements now being considered by Congress similarly offer the potential to open new markets for agricultural, consumer and industrial exporters.

The South Korea Free Trade Agreement alone is estimated to support 70,000 additional jobs by opening up Korea's $560 billion market to U.S. companies. South Korea is Illinois' 16th largest export market. We exported $788 million in goods and services in 2010. Illinois Pork Producers will gain improved access to a market that is constantly growing. With this trade agreement, 66 percent of tariffs on agricultural products will be eliminated immediately, allowing us to better compete with imports from Europe. Chemical manufacturers accounted for an average of $97 million per year of Illinois' merchandise exports to Korea between 2008 and 2010. This deal will mean that 50 percent of U.S. chemicals exports by value will receive duty-free treatment, immediately creating opportunities for Illinois exporters. And many of those exports were moved through the Port of Chicago, which supports and strengthens our transportation infrastructure.

Profile Products is a company based in Buffalo Grove, IL, with offices and plants in five other States. This company makes products that help establish turf and accessories to control erosion on sports fields, golf courses, and landscaping. It has been exporting to South Korea for over 15 years. The company faces tariffs up to 14 percent. Passage of the South Korea FTA would eliminate tariffs on the company's exports to South Korea, allowing the company to grow and to hire more American employees.

The Panama Free Trade Agreement also provides opportunities for several Illinois companies and industries. As Panama continues with the $5.25 billion expansion of the Panama Canal, Illinois companies like John Deere and Caterpillar will see almost all tariffs eliminated for equipment and infrastructure machinery with this trade deal. Ninety-two percent of large mining trucks shipped from Caterpillar's Decatur, IL, location are exported. Eighty-two percent of Large Track Type Tractors shipped from the East Peoria, IL, plant are exported. With the elimination of tariffs on exports into Panama, Caterpillar's American jobs are more secure.

Passing these two free trade agreements with growing free market democracies is an important step in meeting the President's goal of doubling exports in five years, creating more American jobs, and staying engaged in the global community.

On the third proposed agreement--the one with Colombia--I have wrestled with whether this is the time to support such a step. Colombia is a strong American ally in an often turbulent region. It will remain our strong friend and partner.

Last year, as chairman of the Senate Human Rights and the Law Subcommittee, I held a hearing that examined the human rights situation in Colombia.

Colombia has made progress on protecting human rights, activists and indigenous populations and providing reparations and returning land to those who have been displaced during the decade long civil war. Colombia has worked with the U.S. to develop and implement the ``Action Plan Related to Labor Rights'' in an attempt to address issues that have allowed more than 2800 union members to be murdered since 1986.

But the action plan is not included in this trade agreement and, given the history of violence and human rights abuses, I worry that its omission leaves us without an enforcement capability to ensure it is followed to completion.

While Colombia's steps to mitigate human rights abuses should be noted, the trend remains troubling. In 2010, 51 unionists were murdered and many cases have not been brought to justice. Too often perpetrators of violence do so with impunity. So far this year, 22 unionists have been killed in Colombia--10 since the action plan on labor rights was agreed to. Too often workers who try to unionize are fired and blacklisted. Some continue to receive death threats.

There are other examples, including the baseless prosecutions of human rights defenders, and the ``false positives'' cases, where innocent civilians were executed by the military and passed off as rebel fighters killed in combat.

Simply put, these problems remain unacceptable. More needs to be done. The Colombian government needs to utilize every available resource to ensure that unionists, indigenous populations, and their allies are protected. Colombia also needs to ensure that victims are treated fairly, human rights violators are brought to justice, and that laws are enforced.

I support trade with Colombia and hope such an agreement is in our near future, but I cannot in good conscience ignore the fact that my vote for this Colombia Free Trade Agreement would indicate my approval that enough has been done to stem human rights abuses in Colombia. It hasn't.

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