Schmidt headed to Colombia

Rep. Jean Schmidt is headed to Colombia with her predecessor's successor.

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Schmidt, a Miami Township Republican, will join Ambassador Susan Schwab, the U.S. trade representative, on the congressional delegation mission to Colombia.

Schmidt succeeded Terrace Park Republican Rob Portman in Congress when Portman became the U.S. trade representative in 2005. When Portman left USTR a year later to join the White House, Schwab replaced him at USTR.

The trip will focus on the importance of trade between the two countries and the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, which is pending in Congress.

“Colombia plays a large part in our Cincinnati economy particularly for our Folger’s and Chiquita companies,” Schmidt said in a statement today. “Open, fair and free trade with Colombia helps some of Cincinnati’s most prominent companies, which means more jobs for hard working Ohioans.”

The delegation will be in Colombia from today until Sunday. They plan to meet with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, local business and labor leaders, as well as supporters and opponents of the free trade agreement.

Colombia is the largest South American export market for U.S. agriculture products and the United States’ fourth largest Latin America trading partner, according to Schmidt's office. Passage of this trade deal would eliminate duties on U.S. products entering the Colombian market.