Official: Trade agreements can lead to jobs

CEDAR RAPIDS - An official at a national business organization says lack of congressional action on three trade agreements is allowing competing countries to take market share - and jobs - away from the United States.

The United States signed free trade agreements with Columbia on Nov. 22, 2006, Panama on June 28, 2007, and the Republic of Korea on June 30, 2007. Christopher Wenk, senior director of international policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said the agreements would eliminate tariffs and other trade barriers that restrict the export of American products and services.

“Columbia is a huge market for U.S. agriculture exports,” Wenk told local business representatives Wednesday at the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. “While we've been watching and waiting, Columbia has been moving forward and very aggressively negotiating free trade agreements with other countries, including those in Latin America. ... They have swooped in and taken our market share.”

Wenk said the Obama administration has “worked out” its concerns regarding each trade agreement and is pressuring Congress to take action this summer to approve them. He said the agreements have the potential to expand export-related business and employment.

“The discussion in Washington right now is ‘How do we create jobs?' These free trade agreements are perfect examples of how we can create jobs,” Wenk said.

Wenk asked local exporters to communicate with the Iowa congressional delegation about the importance of approving the free trade agreements this summer.

“We're almost to the finish line, but we also need to be looking at additional agreements to double our exports and create additional jobs in future years,” he said.

“Frankly speaking, the United States is sitting on the couch and watching as these things are happening,” he added.