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Who is to blame for FTA delays?

There seems to be some disagreement over who is to blame for the repeated delays in approving those three pending free trade agreements.

Speaking in Iowa Tuesday, President Obama urged Congress to pass the FTAs.  He said rural America would benefit tremendously from the increased trade—and in Obama’s words, “the only thing holding us back is our politics.”

But Nebraska U.S. Senator Mike Johanns says it’s the Administration that has been holding things up.

“The key to those being acted on is the President. We can’t act until he submits them to the House and Senate for our up or down vote,” says Johanns. “It is time to turn them loose and let’s get a vote.  Hopefully we’ll get them done–but the President has to turn them loose.”

All indications are that Congress is ready to approve the FTAs when it returns from its August recess—and once the Administration sends them to Capitol Hill.

In a statement, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “It is my hope that the president, who continues to refuse to send these agreements to Congress while simultaneously calling for Congress to act, will finally resolve this contradiction by sending the agreements immediately.”