House passes Peru free-trade pact

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The House passed legislation today to implement a free-trade agreement with Peru, even though fewer than half of Democrats voted for the measure. The pact would make 80% of U.S. exports to Peru duty-free, including wheat, cotton, soybeans and beef. Many House Democrats had wanted environmental and labor protections written into the deal, but felt that the way the Bush administration negotiated those protections made them virtually unenforceable. The measure now goes to the Senate, which is required by special ‘fast track’ rules to vote on the agreement within 15 days. President Bush hailed the accord and urged Congress to ‘move promptly to consideration of our free-trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.’ That’s not likely to happen this year.

Posted by Nicole Gaouette in Washington