Sen. Bob Corker today joined Senate colleagues, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Hispanic leaders at a roundtable discussion to organize the launch of a Hispanic coalition of grassroots activists in support of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Agreement, which he said would level the playing field with Colombia, boost the economy, and create American jobs.

Following the meeting, the group held a press conference to announce the launch of the grassroots campaign.

“From the standpoint of our own economic interests and from the stand point of our own national security interests, it is totally inappropriate that this free trade agreement has not been to the floor for a vote,” said Sen. Corker at the news conference.

“It’s in all of our interests to see that it happens. And we hope that those who care about the relationship between us and those in Latin America will put pressure on the House to make sure that this comes to a full vote in the House – a vote of conscience. And we believe if that occurs, this will pass.”

According to the U.S. Commerce Department, in 2007, more than 90 percent of Colombia’s imports into the United States entered duty-free under unilateral U.S. trade preference programs, such as the Andean Trade Preference Act). Passage of the U.S. Colombia Free Trade Agreement will level the playing field by providing duty-free treatment for U.S. exports to the fast-growing Colombian market. Colombia is the third largest export market for U.S. farm products in the hemisphere, it was stated.

Last year, Tennessee’s exports to Colombia totaled $151 million. That's up more than 124 percent from just two years earlier and is across a wide range of sectors, including $67 million in computers and electronics exports, $18 million in chemicals and more than $14 million in transportation equipment, the group said.

Tennessee’s farmers, who already ship $18 million in crops and food products to Colombia, "will benefit tremendously from this agreement," the group said.

In March, Sen. Corker traveled to Medellín, Colombia with a congressional delegation led by Secretary Gutierrez. During the visit, the delegation learned about the progress that Colombian President Alvaro Uribe’s administration has made in fighting labor-related violence and witnessed firsthand the positive results of joint U.S.-Colombian efforts to enhance security and provide social and economic support for the community, it was stated.