Political Quotes

“It was 10 years ago that Marcy Kaptur and I met with Japanese officials about opening their markets to United States auto parts. Imports then had less than 1 percent of Japan's protected market. Today, despite incessant American efforts, that figure is only 2.4 percent. The Japanese sell their automotive products on every United States Main Street, but they make it difficult, often impossible, to sell United States products even on Japanese side streets. The negotiations that begin today in Vancouver are make it or break it for opening the Japanese market. That is why there is broad support on a bipartisan basis here in Congress and in the U.S. business community, from the Business Roundtable and NAM to semiconductors and motion pictures. Japan's protected markets undermine the world trading system. Resolution of this issue with Japan will affect this Nation's economic future, the confidence of Americans in their Nation's trade policy.”