Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman from Michigan. Today I am pleased to see that Congress is finally focused on America's top priority, jobs. As economic experts from across the ideological spectrum have made clear, these trade agreements with Panama, Colombia, and South Korea will create jobs for Americans. In fact, the White House has said these deals will create 70,000 new jobs for Americans at a time when we need them. That's why I intend to vote for all three agreements. I'm also going to vote ``yes'' because these trade pacts will help put money back in the pockets of hardworking Americans. By lifting the aggressive tariffs on many commonly purchased clothing and household items, we can cut the prices of essentials that every family needs. Tariffs are essentially like a sales tax on imported goods, and like sales taxes in many States, they're regressive. Most U.S. imports today come into this country duty free, but a small amount of items that many Americans use, like sneakers and clothing and other household items, come with a tariff that's much higher than many luxury items. For example, a pair of fancy Italian loafers has a tariff of only 8.5 percent, but a pair of affordable sneakers that moms and dads buy for their kids when they're heading back to school carry a tariff that increases their price by 50 percent. Thrifty cotton and polyester work shirts carry a 16 and 32 percent tariff, but a silk Armani shirt comes with only a 1 percent tariff.…”