Jim Kolbe: “this is an historic day. Today we are sending a message to the nations of sub-Saharan Africa and to our partners in…”

“this is an historic day. Today we are sending a message to the nations of sub-Saharan Africa and to our partners in Central America and the Caribbean. Today we open our arms and embrace those nations in a new partnership, the hallmarks of which are economic freedom, growth, and opportunity. By passing this legislation, we renew the hope of prosperity for millions of impoverished souls throughout the world. Under the leadership of the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Crane), the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Archer), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel), the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott), the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jefferson) among many, we have successfully sailed through some dangerous holes to bring forth a balanced bill with substantial benefits for some of the poorest Nations in the world. The people of these Nations have been wracked by civil war, by ethnic conflict, by economic stagnation, every type of natural disaster that is known. We all know this is true. When tragedy occurs, we know that Americans respond generously. But today, for the first time, we are doing something more. We are knocking down quotas to the poor. We are taking active steps to help build the strong economies and vibrant civil societies needed to overcome instability, poverty, repression.”