WASHINGTON – House Republican Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) issued the following statement today in honor of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s visit to the Nation’s Capital and his address to a joint gathering of Congress. 

“Today I had the pleasure of listening to President Lee’s inspiring words to Congress on the importance of the unbreakable friendship between the United States and the Republic of Korea. That friendship was made even stronger by yesterday’s passage in the House of what will be America’s largest free trade agreement with any nation in all of Asia. Thanks to this new agreement, American businesses will be free to compete on a more even playing field with our allies in Europe and elsewhere and create thousands of new jobs for the American people. I personally told President Lee that he can expect plenty of new exports of Texas beef to his country. 

“As President Lee indicated, our countries’ deep alliance is rooted not merely in commerce but in our shared commitment to the ideals of freedom, democracy, and human rights—values mocked and rejected by Korea’s neighbor to the North. As long as the dark shadow of dictatorship plagues the Korean Peninsula, the United States must meet its moral duty and stand with our ally in defense of its people, its principles, and our enduring partnership.”

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