Political Quotes

“I come to the floor this afternoon during World Trade Week to urge President Obama to submit pending free-trade agreements: Korea, Panama, and Colombia. I hope this is the last time I come to the floor on this issue until we are actually debating these job-creating agreements, but I must admit I feel as though I am holding my breath. Mr. President, 1,420 days have passed since the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement was signed; 1,422 days have passed since we signed an agreement with Panama, and it has been 1,640 days since we completed negotiations with our close ally, Colombia. We have heard the administration tout the job-creating benefits of the agreements, so why more roadblocks? Our unemployment rate is nearly 10 percent. Our workers deserve a consistent message on job creation from this administration. It has been over a month since President Obama and the President of Colombia made an announcement. The announcement was that negotiations had been completed, I might add, yet again. I was relieved that President Obama finally announced there was an agreement and that there was a need to complete the long overdue agreement. I am confident the agreement brought to the Senate and the House would finally win bipartisan support, and I still am today.…”