December 4, 2007 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 153, Pt. 23 31987 done more than that. We have also cratic future for the people of Ven- As the Presiding Officer well knows, helped them pacify their country. ezuela. The people of coura- the Agriculture Committee, under the Their country is in a huge turnaround. geously went to the streets, coura- leadership of Senator HARKIN and Sen- Their country has tremendous eco- geously demonstrated against tremen- ator CHAMBLISS, worked very hard— nomic growth. The Colombian people dous oppression and repression by the worked for weeks and weeks and can now freely travel the country. Venezuelan authorities, and continued months and months—to come up with That is a result of the good efforts of to insist that they have a free vote on what is a very good farm bill. It is a the working in partner- Sunday, and they did. very good farm bill that invests in the ship with the Colombian Government. They rejected the overreaching of nutritional needs of our country. It is a Colombia has a bright and tremen- President Chavez. But this ideology very good farm bill that helps us unveil dous future. Forty million people are that President Chavez preaches, the the clean energy future of America and in the country of Colombia. It is a very failed ideology that was preached by helps us grow our way to energy inde- diverse country. From the coast of the that has taken Cuba on pendence. It is a very good farm bill Caribbean to the Andes and the inte- the path of destruction, disaster, and that invests such as no other farm bill rior, it is a country of resourceful and desolation is now trying to be inflicted ever has in the conservation opportuni- tremendously ingenious people who on the people of Venezuela, where they ties we need to protect our land and would benefit tremendously from the are now seeing the same kind of food our water in America. It is a very good opportunity of having a free-trade shortage we have seen in Cuba for al- farm bill in all respects, and it is paid agreement with the United States. most a half a century beginning to for. It is a farm bill that is paid for. It is a free-trade agreement that will manifest itself in a country that is so We have been on this farm bill now in create jobs in America, that will also oil rich it is ridiculous. the Senate for the last several weeks, enhance the opportunity for the same The fact is, we see in the path to bi- since before Thanksgiving, and have kind of economic growth and job cre- lateral trade agreements with the not been able to move ahead. The ma- ation that I have talked about with United States a rejection of these jority leader, Senator REID, has pro- Peru. failed ideologies, a rejection of the pounded a proposal where we would The Panama agreement is a much Chavez way, and a welcoming of a part- move forward with a set of discrete smaller agreement. Panama increas- nership with the United States, one amendments, giving the Republicans 10 ingly has become the trading hub of that allows independence and demo- amendments, having the Democrats the Americas through the Panama cratic institutions to flourish, while at have 5 amendments and 2 additional Canal. And we now know that for more the same time improving the lives of amendments would be considered. It than a couple of decades, Panama has the people of the region. seems to me that is a very eminently been in charge and has been running its I urge my colleagues to look forward fair proposal, and I would ask my col- own canal in a very successful way. also to the Colombian and Panamanian leagues, both on the Democratic side Now they are enhancing it by expand- trade agreements. They should be com- and the Republican side, to stand be- ing it. ing. We need to proceed to move those hind that procedural framework so we The banking system, from Asia to forward. They are tremendously impor- can get onto the farm bill and get this the Americas, seems to be at a cross- tant for these countries. Let’s engage farm bill across the finish line. roads through Panama. It is a country in this friendship, but let’s take care of It is my view the people of America with which we should have a trade first things first and today resound- deserve no less from this Senate, and I agreement. We have one that is there. ingly approve the free-trade agreement am very hopeful we will be able to It is teed up. We should move it for- with Peru that is good for America, come to that agreement very soon. ward. It should be the next one we ap- good for our Nation, but also good for f Peru, and for our relations with the re- prove, with Colombia coming along not RECESS long after. But these are tremendously gion. important. These countries look to I yield the floor and suggest the ab- Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I ask these agreements as a way forward, as sence of a quorum. unanimous consent that all time be a way of enhancing their partnership The PRESIDING OFFICER. The yielded back and that the Senate now with our country, and rejecting other clerk will call the roll. stand in recess until 2:15 p.m. The legislative clerk proceeded to The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without ideologies. call the roll. You know we might as well talk objection, it is so ordered. Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I ask Thereupon, the Senate, at 12:26 p.m., about this. I think it is very impor- unanimous consent that the order for recessed until 2:15 p.m. and reassem- tant. On Sunday we had a very star- the quorum call be rescinded. bled when called to order by the Pre- tling event occur in the region. Ven- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without siding Officer (Mr. CARPER). ezuela held an election in what was a objection, it is so ordered. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- proposal from an increasingly authori- Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I ask ator from Vermont is recognized. tarian leader, Hugo Chavez, to become unanimous consent that I be allowed to f essentially President for life. It was es- speak for up to 5 minutes as in morn- sentially to give him the authority to ing business. UNITED STATES-PERU TRADE rule by , to declare a state of The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without PROMOTION AGREEMENT IMPLE- emergency and essentially suggest that objection, it is so ordered. MENTATION ACT—Continued all of the institutions of the country be Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I come Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I ask suspended and he would be the sole to the floor today to make a very sim- unanimous consent that the vote that ruler. ple statement; that is, about our food was scheduled for 2:15 occur at 2:30, and It also went further, and it said the security in America. the 15 minutes between now and 2:30 be country would take a socialist path. For all of my life—as a farmer and a equally divided in the usual fashion. Now, this is only the latest excess by a rancher and attorney general—I have The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there leader who is excessive in many ways, recognized importance of food security objection? his rhetoric and his action. But this for America. On my desk in my Senate Without objection, it is so ordered. latest excess was rejected by the people office here in Washington, DC, there is Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise in of Venezuela. a sign that says: ‘‘No Farms, No Food.’’ opposition of the Peru Trade Pro- I congratulate the people of Ven- It is important for all of us in this motion Agreement. While the Peru ezuela for taking this bold step in the Chamber to recognize the importance Trade Promotion Agreement includes direction of not a single authoritarian of the food security of the United important labor and environmental person in charge of the government but States of America by moving forward provisions, I do not believe that it rep- one who would allow a more demo- with the passage of the 2007 farm bill. resents a large enough departure from

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