Ronald Dellums: “the bill, H.R. 2754, provides the Congress of the United States with the opportunity to ratify an agreement, the purpose…”

“the bill, H.R. 2754, provides the Congress of the United States with the opportunity to ratify an agreement, the purpose of which is to end government subsidies in shipbuilding. I believe that it is in the interest of the shipbuilding industry and in the interest of the American worker and ultimately the American people that we ratify a treaty, the purpose of which is to end Government subsidies. That is indeed in our interest. I would like to take this opportunity to applaud the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Gibbons], who has perhaps beyond any other Member of this body worked tirelessly to get such an agreement because he had the wisdom and the vision to understand that it is indeed in the interest of the United States to end Government subsidy. For that, I applaud the gentleman. I am one of the gentleman's greatest fans. My point of departure today with my distinguished colleague is very simple and very straightforward. I believe that the agreement is flawed in its transition implications. We are simply saying that we need to put the United States in a better position in this transition period, as we move from a heavy reliance on military dollars, building hundreds of military ships, to building commercial ships.”