Ten Democrats Say No to Pelosi

Today, ten Democrats had the courage to stand up to Nancy Pelosi and vote in favor of maintaining Fast Track Authority rules that would force Congress to hold an up-or-down vote on the Colombia Free Trade Agreement within 90 days of the President’s submission.   [# More #]

Under normal Fast Track rules, Congress would be required to hold a vote on the trade agreement within the next three months, no doubt angering the labor unions that play a role in Democratic election efforts.  With the help of most Democrats and six wayward Republicans, Speaker Pelosi doubled-crossed the administration and changed Fast Track rules today to avoid a vote on the Colombia trade agreement until after the 2008 election.  Because of Nancy Pelosi’s political games, American workers and businesses will sell fewer products to Colombian buyers.

Ten Democrats had the courage to put America’s economic growth ahead of the labor bosses who pull Pelosi’s strings.  They are: Reps. Bean; Boren; Boyd (FL); Cooper; Cramer; Cuellar; Hill; Lampson; Mahoney (FL); and Matheson.  The six Republicans who sided with Pelosi over America’s economic growth are as follows: Reps. Aderholt; Goode; Hayes; Jones (NC) Paul; and Rogers (AL). 

“The ten Democrats who put their foot down today deserve to be congratulated,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey.  “It is a sad day when American politicians put politics over the health of America’s economy.  “Nearly all of the same Democrats who voted with Pelosi today against eliminating tariffs on U.S. exports to Colombia, voted to eliminate tariffs on Columbian exports to the U.S. a little less than a year ago.  It is clear that this latest gambit is nothing more than electoral chicanery.”