On April 11, Congress refused President Bush’s demand to ratify a free-trade deal with Colombia, voting to delay consideration of the pact until after the November election.

This is just another bad trade agreement, modeled after the same flawed language found in NAFTA, which has resulted in major job loss, environmental degradation, decimation of family farms and increased immigration.

Not one U.S. labor, environmental, faith or consumer group has endorsed the agreement, which is much less about finding new markets for American goods than it is a continuation of the Bush administration’s failed trade policy – a policy that exploits workers in developing nations.

Trade isn’t “free” when thousands are killed for standing up in the workplace. Colombia is the most dangerous place in the world to advocate for worker rights. During the past 20 years, more than 2,200 Colombian unionists have been assassinated.

Maine is full of hardworking people with an expectation that government will work with them, not against them. Our trade policies have a direct impact on American workers and, unfortunately, they have not treated American workers, businesses and communities kindly or fairly. Maine has lost more than 24,000 jobs since NAFTA. With the economy in rough shape, why would we continue that failed model of outsourcing jobs?

Sen. Olympia Snowe and Rep. Mike Michaud and Rep. Tom Allen all oppose the Colombia free trade agreement. Sen. Susan Collins has yet to take a stand. Collins should take a postition: opposing the agreement.

David C. Projansky, Lewiston