On four different occasions, the Partnership’s Board of Directors has passed resolutions supporting free trade with Colombia. Just last year, the Partnership acted on the following:

• April 5, 2006: Board of Directors approved Resolution in Support of the CFTA
• July 25, 2007: Hosted Colombian Minister of Trade for CFTA Promotion Reception
• Oct. 30, 2007: Letter signed by Ambassador Linnet Deily was sent to the Houston Congressional Delegation and Senators John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison in support of a Free Trade Agreement with Peru, Colombia and Panama
• Nov. 30, 2007: Hosted U.S. Secretary of Commerce for CFTA Roundtable
• Dec. 4, 2007: Hosted U.S. Ambassador to Colombia, William R. Brownfield

“Free trade is the future of a global economy,” said Jeff Moseley, Partnership President and CEO. “Blocking free trade with Colombia will not only hurt the economic and security interests of the Houston region, but of the United States as a whole.” With an export value of over $1.6 billion, Colombia is the Houston region’s fourth-largest trade partner in Latin America.

The Partnership, its Board of Directors and Members strongly urge the U.S. House of Representatives to abide by the established rules in which Congress is required to take up trade bills after receiving these proposals from the White House.

Attached is the Partnership’s Colombia Free Trade Agreement Resolution. It is also available on our Web site, houston.org.