Though widely viewed as a dead letter on Capitol Hill, the Colombia Free Trade Agreement remains very much alive in the White House, where President Bush is committed to getting the measure passed and aides remain hopeful they can pull it off. "Everybody still remains focused, engaged and hopeful that it will happen," said one senior administration official. The agreement was sidelined last month by House Speaker Pelosi after Bush submitted it to Congress over her objections. In the days since, Bush has been talking it up as much as ever. Bush will devote the majority of a Wednesday speech to the Council of the Americas to Colombia, according to a source. Bush aides are busy trying to sell the deal during public appearances by Cabinet officials and private talks on Capitol Hill.
The president is described as passionate, convinced the FTA is necessary to buck up a beleaguered democratic ally and provide a bulwark against encroaching totalitarianism in South America. "I can't underscore how very much he believes in this," said one senior administration official. "He'll keep bringing it up over and over and over again." Pelosi has said she will not put the legislation to a vote until there is an agreement on a trade adjustment assistance program and other measures to help working families. But top Bush aides say they do not know exactly what Pelosi wants and suspect her demands may be a cover for bowing to union pressure to quash the FTA. "Normally to negotiate with someone you have to know what it is they want," said one senior U.S. trade official.
A senior Democratic House aide suggested a potential link between the supplemental spending bill and the Colombia measure. He said some of what Pelosi wants, including new unemployment benefits, might be added by Democrats in the supplemental, and that if Bush does not reject such inclusions it could clear some of Pelosi's Colombia-related demands off the plate. He indicated Pelosi's needs would be clearer "once we're finished with the supplemental."
Treasury Secretary Paulson and Pelosi spoke by phone about the Colombia FTA last week. The discussion was described as preliminary by sources and the two plan to talk again soon. Paulson, who is taking the lead on a number of issues for the administration, has built good relationships with House Democrats, and at least some of Pelosi's demands fall within Treasury's portfolio. Administration officials believe that if she gets enough of what she wants and can present new pro-worker initiatives to her union allies, Pelosi might give the trade deal a new lease on life. They say they are not waiting for a lame-duck session to rescue the deal. Such a session might be short, and trade deals take time to consider.
This article appeared in the Saturday, May 10, 2008 edition of National Journal Daily.
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