Lawmakers press forward with free trade agreements

Republican and Democratic lawmakers expressed their willingness to take action on free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Brazil after President Obama addressed a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night. 

House Ways and Means ranking member Sander Levin (D-Mich.) said the implementation language of the South Korean free trade agreement can be set up in a month or two. 

He said there are no timetables for trade agreements with Panama and Colombia. 

"I think he made clear that we're keeping faith that we have to address the problems and how they differ and take each on its own and keep working on it," Levin said. 

Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) said he was disappointed with the lack of detail on a plan to "move the long-stalled Colombia and Panama trade agreements."

"We should address each of the three trade agreements in the next six months," Camp said in a statement. "They would open new markets to U.S. exports and, in turn, benefit American businesses, farmers, workers, and consumers. If the U.S. fails to implement our own trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea, we will only lose ground to our foreign competitors and jeopardize U.S. job creation.”

Ways and Means Republican Kevin Brady (Texas) also said the trade agreements can be completed within a six-month timeframe. 

But he expressed some concern over the Colombia and Panama agreements saying they "are ready, we have the votes the more we delay the more we damage our economy."