Dana Rohrabacher: “I rise in support of this agreement. Over the years, Australia has been a terrific friend of the United States of…”

“I rise in support of this agreement. Over the years, Australia has been a terrific friend of the United States of America in every way. Over the years, I have restated my commitment to free trade between free people, and I can think of no better example of two free nations establishing open commerce between themselves than this suggestion that we have free trade with the people of Australia. Moreover, Australia has been a stalwart ally in the war on terror, and they have been with us all the way when much of the rest of the world was against us. Unfortunately, the authors of this bill decided to construct it in a fashion that will restrict the right of the American people to purchase reimported, American-made prescription drugs in this bill and in future trade agreements. Well, I happen to be a strong supporter of America's access to reimported, American-made prescription drugs, but I am also supportive of free trade between free people, and I am also a grateful American for the friendship that has been shown us and demonstrated by the people of Australia. I would like to express my frustration with the administration and with our leadership for making what would have been an effortless vote on my part into a much more difficult decision. They cannot count on me in the future for votes on free trade agreements that include this provision. But, in terms of this vote today, we owe it to our Australian friends.…”