Ed Royce: “Mr. Speaker, let me say as chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, I think we are on the verge of making a very…”

“Mr. Speaker, let me say as chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, I think we are on the verge of making a very significant achievement for this Congress and for the future of America's relationship with Africa. I think the African and Caribbean bills are going to play a critical role in helping to bring Africa and the Caribbean nations further into the world economy, which I believe is good not only for those countries, but good for the United States. I believe that this bill will not cure all of the ills that we have heard about today, some of the problems in Africa; but I think it will help spur economic growth in Africa. And unless African economies grow, then all our concerns about Africa, whether it is poverty or environmental degradation or disease, those are guaranteed to grow. I think the Caribbean Basin initiative in this bill offers benefits to American businesses.”