Senator's Column

February 15, 2010 Strong Support for President's Trade Pledge Dear Nebraskans, In his State of the Union Address, President Obama stated his strong support to double exports within five years, noting how important trade is to job growth and business investment. I could not agree more. It was encouraging to hear the President's views on the importance of trade. At a time of 10 percent unemployment, enacting trade agreements that spur job growth and boost our economy should be a no-brainer. Recently, members of the President's Cabinet have reinforced the Administration's promise on trade, explaining how we can increase American exports. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told a committee in the House of Representatives that it is a "very realistic objective" for the Administration and Congress to "work together to pass strong trade agreements that will expand opportunities in ... foreign markets." Additionally, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke has noted the importance of leveling the playing field for American-made products in foreign markets. The good news is that American representatives have been working for years to expand our exports. As Secretary of Agriculture, I traveled the world on behalf of American agriculture and assisted in negotiating trade deals, and the pending agreements with Colombia, South Korea, and Panama would help Nebraska's farmers and ranchers. Our three biggest exports -- corn, soybeans, and wheat - would see barriers eliminated. Unfortunately, while all three agreements have been signed by each country, they still must be green-lighted by the President and sent on to Congress for approval. Allowing these common sense agreements to languish for as much as 1,200 days is not leadership. Currently, American producers are forced to pay substantial tariffs on their exports to Colombian, South Korean, and Panamanian markets, which would be eliminated by the agreements. For example, more than $2.5 billion in tariffs on American exports have been paid since the Colombian agreement was signed in November 2006. By contrast, Colombian producers do not pay any tariff on 90 percent of their products before selling them in the United States. Should Congress ratify the Colombian Trade Agreement, American farmers and ranchers would be allowed to compete on a level playing field with Colombian producers. In South Korea and Panama, it is more of the same. Nearly two-thirds of our agricultural exports to Korea would become duty-free under the agreement, and the U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that reducing these tariffs would increase our exports to Korea by $10 billion per year. The Panamanian agreement would enable more than 60 percent of our agricultural exports to become duty-free, and would resolve regulatory and trade barriers currently faced by American producers. It is time for President Obama to act. I recently sent him a letter supporting his goal of increasing exports, which we can achieve once he sends Congress the pending agreements for approval. I was able to gather a bipartisan list of 17 co-signers. As a Senator, I will do everything I can to see that they become a reality and start benefiting agriculture in Nebraska and across the country.