CONTACTS: John Reid/Karen Gaither
(202) 463-5682 / 888-249-NEWS

 

December 4, 2007

 

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Chamber of Commerce today hailed Senate passage of the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement and praised lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for voting in the interests of democracy in the region and economic growth here at home.

 

"This agreement means new opportunities for workers, farmers, and companies from Lima, Ohio to Lima, Peru," said Chamber President and CEO Thomas Donohue.  "This bipartisan vote recognizes Peru's enormous potential and finally levels the playing field for U.S. workers, businesses and farmers in that market."

 

"We congratulate both Democratic and Republican leaders for today's vote," said Donohue.  "However, we must capitalize on this new bipartisan consensus to seize the tremendous opportunities presented by the trade agreements with Colombia, Korea, and Panama as well."

 

"Failure to approve these agreements would undermine U.S. economic and strategic interests in these countries," added Donohue.  "The Chamber urges Congress to move swiftly to consider the pending trade agreements with Colombia, Korea, and Panama."

 

The Chamber has spearheaded the business community's advocacy efforts on the Peru agreement both in Washington and at the grassroots level for over two years, building a coalition of more than 700 businesses and associations, sponsoring events in dozens of cities across the nation with leaders from Peru, and hosting fly-ins and meetings with policy leaders on Capitol Hill. 

 

U.S. trade with Peru has doubled over the past three years, reaching $8.8 billion in 2006.  More than 5,000 U.S. companies export their products to Peru, and over 80% of these are small and medium-sized companies that stand to benefit significantly from the agreement.

 

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses of every size, sector and region.

 

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