Members of the Bush administration harshly criticized U.S. lawmakers for a plan to stall the hotly-disputed Colombian free trade agreement.

President Bush sent the agreement to Congress on Tuesday. It requires U.S. lawmakers to consider the pact within 90 legislative days.

Nancy Pelosi (File)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Wednesday that the House will vote Thursday to eliminate a timetable to consider the measure. The move could delay consideration of the Colombian free trade pact beyond the November elections.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Congress would do very serious harm to U.S. credibility in the region if it delays the pact. U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab said a delay would effectively end any possibility of winning approval for the agreement. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said the pact would significantly help the sluggish U.S. economy.

Many congressional Democrats oppose the trade pact, citing Colombia's human rights record and violence against labor activists.

If approved, the free trade deal will eliminate tariffs on more than 80 percent of U.S. exports and make permanent Colombia's preferential access to the U.S. market.

Some information for this report was provided by and Reuters.