Sonny Bono: “I sometimes get upset to a point to where I feel that I have to at least speak out, especially when I cannot do anything…”

“I sometimes get upset to a point to where I feel that I have to at least speak out, especially when I cannot do anything about it. The situation with Mexico and NAFTA and California is basically a disaster for California, and it is abusive. It is extremely abusive, and I was raised not to take abuse, and if somebody dished out abuse, I would always give it back, and that worked out well. So now being here in Congress and seeing abuses inflicted on us by a country who has total disregard for our lifestyle and what we require and what we do, it rather infuriates me. But we have a treaty, a NAFTA treaty, and the way we must go about that legally to handle that is one story which I am very active on, but I consider it one of many abuses we get from Mexico. However, today I rise for one specific, to speak on behalf of my bill to protect American consumers and produce farmers, H.R. 1232, the Imported Produce bill. This does not necessarily totally relate to Mexico, by the way, the Labeling Act of 1997. Consumers need to know the country of origin labeling. Almost every product is clearly labeled 'made in China' or 'made in Mexico' except the produce we eat. Every other type of food is labeled. Why not the produce? Consumers want to know where the produce they eat is grown. Does the country of origin allow pesticides banned in the United States? Are they working under the conditions that are sanitary?…”