A group of high ranking senators, governors and officials from the American Hispanic community met today to discuss what needs to be done to ensure that the Colombian Free Trade Agreement gets passed by the House of Representatives in the near future.

Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) talked about how Hispanic leaders from around the country will be joining together to launch a grassroots campaign supporting the agreement. During the Hispanic leaders’ media press conference following their roundtable discussion, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said that holding up the agreement was a “big mistake” both for economic reasons and national security concerns as well. Speakers at the press conference agreed that the issue was vital for the Hispanic community in America as a whole.

Senator Jon Cornyn (R-TX) explained how it was important we support the bill also to back President Alvaro Uribe in Colombia, not the controversial Hugo Chavez.

Responding to the President’s State of the Union Address Monday night, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) discusses the affect the pending free trade agreements may have on U.S. relations with South America. (0:25)

 

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