WASHINGTON — Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., is in Colombia this weekend, visiting the South American country as part of a delegation led by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez.
The trip will promote the U.S-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement.
The agreement “would remove tariffs that U.S. goods and agriculture currently face when entering Colombia’s growing market,” Mr. Gutierrez said.
The delegation will visit Medellin, Colombia, for three days, meeting with President Uribe and other Colombian officials to discuss security and economic growth issues.
Sen. Corker is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
CORKER FINDS SENATE LIFE MORE DELIBERATE
Sen. Corker said being in the Senate has been an adjustment, after having held executive positions in his previous stints in public office.
The negotiating and consensus building required in the Senate have made for a much slower pace than the former Chattanooga mayor and state finance commissioner is used to.
“Through almost my entire adult life, right from when I woke up every day, I had a notebook of things I was going to accomplish, and I’d update it regularly,” he said. “It’s very different up here. Here, it’s more like getting a Ph.D in a number of topics and taking that knowledge and making judgments on various policy issues.”
He said he has enjoyed delving into the many topics handled by lawmakers.
Still, he said, “would I like for the Senate to incorporate all our thoughts and make them occur? Sure, that’d be great, but that doesn’t even happen for the president.”
ALEXANDER BACKS SAVE ACT
Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., are co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation to curb illegal immigration by providing more resources to law enforcement officials and expanding programs to help employers verify work eligibility.
“The SAVE Act does the right thing by both increasing our law enforcement’s ability to enforce existing laws and by expanding the current electronic employee verification system to ensure that those being hired are supposed to be here,” Sen. Alexander said.
The Secure America through Verification and Enforcement Act would add 8,000 border patrol agents over five years and make mandatory an Internet-based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security that allows employers to verify their workers have legal status.
A House version of the bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn.; Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn.; John Duncan, R-Tenn.; Nathan Deal, R-Ga.; and Phil Gingrey, R-Ga.
CHAMBLISS LAUDED FOR COMMUNITY EFFORTS
Sen. Chambliss has been honored by the National Association of Development Organizations with a 2008 Congressional Partnership Award.
He was given the award for outstanding leadership in promoting federal community, economic and infrastructure development programs.
“Sen. Chambliss understands that federal programs for basic infrastructure, small business development, job creation and comprehensive economic development planning are essential for the long-term competitiveness of our local communities,” said NADO President Leanne Mazer.
The biennial awards program recognizes members of Congress that have displayed strong support of regional development polices.
The NADO is an advocate for federal community and economic development programs and policies that help communities improve their local economy and quality of life.
