The White House, Republican lawmakers and business groups in the United States on Wednesday pressed the chairman of the House of Representatives, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, to allow them to vote three treaties trading pending before the end of the year.
The U.S. Congress has yet to vote on free trade agreements that the Government of President George W. Bush negotiated with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.
At a time when exports are helping keep the U.S. economy afloat, to approve the compacts "is the biggest thing we can do for our exports continue to grow," said Secretary of Commerce USA, Carlos Gutierrez, at an event on trade.
However, many Democratic voters in states like Ohio and Michigan believe that trade agreements cost more jobs they create, which makes many politicians from that party to oppose ratification of treaties.
Legislators Republicans accused Pelosi and other congressional Democrats of violating an agreement that was believed would lead to approval of the three treaties.
"We negotiated in good faith with the Democrats. We hope that meet his word and approve these agreements," said Republican Representative Jim McCrery, who played an important role to reach an agreement in May 2007 that Pelosi and other Democrats announced in his office .
The agreement required the government reopen negotiations with trading partners to strengthen clauses on labour and environmental standards contained in treaties.
This year, Pelosi suspended indefinitely a vote on the agreement with Colombia, saying it could only reconsider its decision if progress is made in other areas to bolster the U.S. economy.
"The position of the president has not changed. She has said it is open to a vote on Colombia, but only after the Congress addresses the concerns about the domestic economy," said Brendan Daly, spokesman for Pelosi.
Republicans acknowledged that there is little chance that Congress vote a treaty in the few weeks left in the legislative timetable. But they urged Pelosi to make a session after the elections on November 4.
The minister of Commerce of Colombia, Luis Guillermo Plata, the South Korean ambassador Lee Tae-Sik and his Panamanian par Federico Humbert Arias also spoke at the event and said they were disillusioned because Congress had not approved the treaty.
