Bush to send Colombia pact to Congress soon: Schwab

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush will send a free trade agreement with Colombia to Congress shortly after the March recess for a vote sometime this year, the top U.S. trade official said on Wednesday.

"Given the calendar and the president's commitment to see a vote on the Colombia FTA this year, it is very clear the president will have to send up the legislation very shortly," U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab told reporters.

However, the Bush administration will make a final attempt to reach agreement with democrats on a "bipartisan path" to bring the pact to the floor for a vote, Schwab said.

Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives have resisted efforts to schedule a vote on the pact because they say Colombia needs to make more progress on labor violence concerns.

(Reporting by Doug Palmer; Editing by Eric Walsh)