Washington - Today US Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), a member of the Finance Committee, released the following statement on the Republican boycott of the Committee's meeting to consider Free Trade Agreements for Colombia, Panama and Korea, and Trade Adjustment Assistance:
"Republicans state that their number one priority is job creation and growing our economy, yet today, instead of coming to work to address legislation that would expand our markets and create jobs here at home, they stayed home to play politics - boycotting the Committee mark-up. We may not all ultimately vote the same way on all of the provisions, but at the very least we should be working to try to reach agreement where we can vote to stimulate our struggling economy. The Korea Free Trade agreement alone would increase exports by $11 billion annually, GDP by $12 billion annually, and create 70,000 jobs. Republicans were given ample time to prepare for the mark-up, as evidenced by the 61 amendments they submitted. Their last minute boycott just shows how willing they are to promote a political agenda at the expense of America's economic recovery."
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