There is untapped potential for growth, which makes it critical that we address access and resources.

I became a real fan of international trade when I was Governor and led the first trade mission overseas back in 1997.

I serve on the Foreign Relations committee. And in that capacity, I have had a chance to travel in the last two years to four countries in South--Latin America, and four countries just recently in the Indo-Pacific.

I can tell you that every country we visited, number one on their list was trade. They said, we want to do more business with the United States.

That is why when I got to the Senate, I helped to create the STEP Program in 2010 to help small businesses offset the cost of training, market research, website upgrades, and trade missions to begin or expand sales internationally.

I can tell you that every country we visited, number one on their list was trade.

I became a real fan of international trade when I was Governor and led the first trade mission overseas back in 1997.

I want to shift the conversation just a little bit because of my role as chair of this Committee's Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight.

Congress has the power of the purse.

What does it mean for the scope of Executive authority if national emergencies can be left open for long periods of time?

This country is being governed in a State of perpetual emergency.

Congress has the power of the purse.

I think we need to be very cautious in having these discussions.

What does it mean for the scope of Executive authority if national emergencies can be left open for long periods of time?

I want to shift the conversation just a little bit because of my role as chair of this Committee's Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight.

This country is being governed in a State of perpetual emergency.

I think we need to be very cautious in having these discussions.

A national emergency should be something akin to a war and unforeseen circumstances, a pandemic, an asteroid strike.