Murkowski Supports Free Trade Agreements With South Korea, Panama and Colombia
Senator: Three Votes Are “The Soundest Stimulus Plan We’ve Seen This Week”
Washington, DC – Senator Lisa Murkowski today voted for three free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia – citing the many benefits of expanding trade for Alaska businesses. She issued the following statement afterwards:
“Building financial relationships with the international community and supplying American goods to the world are the soundest stimulus plan we’ve seen this week – and a long-time coming.
“These 3 free trade agreements are good news for Alaska. In 2010, Alaska’s exports hit $4.2 billion, a 27 percent increase from the previous year. $477 million of those exports went to South Korea, Alaska’s third largest export partner.
“The Panama Free Trade Agreement will support American jobs and expand markets for businesses like those in Palmer and Kenai that export products to the country.
“Alaska has seen first-hand the benefits from free trade agreements in the past. Since the U.S. entered into a trade agreement with Chile in 2004, Alaska’s exports to that country have grown by 397 percent. The Colombia Free Trade Agreement can be similarly beneficial to my home state.”
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