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After House, Senate Votes for Peru Trade Bill
The Senate gave decisive backing yesterday to a U.S.-Peru free-trade agreement, opening the way for expanded economic ties with the Andean nation and giving the administration a boost in its quest to shore up relations with Latin America. The 77 to 18 Senate vote on the bill implementing the agreement followed a 285 to 132 House vote last month. The agreement will go into effect after the two countries adjust laws to conform to the deal.U.S. trade with Peru is small scale, about $9 billion a year, but proponents of the agreement argued that it has real political benefits. President Bush said after the vote that he looked forward to signing the bill that would "level the playing field for American exporters and investors" and would signal "our firm support for those who share our values of freedom and democracy." Posted by: Steve White 2007-12-06 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=211624 |