WASHINGTON, D.C. - Earlier this week, President Bush took the unprecedented step of submitting implementing legislation for the U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement (FTA) to Congress over the objections of leadership in the House of Representatives. The House today responded by removing the FTA legislation from the timelines imposed by trade promotion authority, thereby restoring the Speaker’s authority to determine the House schedule.
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-NY) issued the following remarks on the House Floor during debate on the measure:
"Let me start by saying that I doubt anyone in this body has more compassion than I for the people of Colombia, with whom I’ve worked through the years on counter-narcotics and economic development issues.
"This rule is necessary because the President violated protocol under trade promotion authority that has served so well in the past. He specifically ignored the views of this body, instead choosing to take a gamble and demand a vote within 90 days.
"Today, we remove this artificial time constraint and restore a period of consultation so that the agreement is not forced to a vote in an environment that will not allow it to succeed. By removing the imposed timeframe, we create an atmosphere that would allow members to understand the bill and facilitate discussion to resolve the outstanding issues."
* Today’s rule change would remove the fast-track timeline for the Colombia free-trade agreement -- simply returning to Congress the rightful constitutional role in scheduling consideration of measures.
* The fast track procedures (as set forth in section 151 of the Trade Act of 1974) expressly recognize "the constitutional right of either House to change the rules (so far as relating to the procedures of that House) at any time, in the same manner, and to the same extent as any other rule of that House.
* "The fast track procedures require both chambers to act on a trade pact within 90 legislative days after the implementing legislation is submitted, but it specifies that those procedures and timetable are rules of the chambers and may be changed at any time.
* Specifically, the measure approved by the House today suspends the requirements that the Ways and Means Committee act within 45 days, that the House vote within 15 days after that, and that there be a highly privileged motion to bring up the measure.
* Under the rules change, the House would consider the measure at a time of its choosing. This does not address Senate fast track procedures. This measure does not change the fact the agreement is unamendable in the House.
