Political Quotes

“I have a long-held interest in Latin America, and, in my opinion, the renewal of the Andean Trade Preferences Agreement is one of the most important actions this Congress can take to promote economic growth, political stability, and prosperity in the Andean region. I have come to this floor many times in the past year to draw my colleagues' attention to the fact that Latin America is a region in crisis, that we ignore at our peril. I believe that it is imperative that we remain engaged with our neighbors to the South lest our neglect encourage even more instability in the region and foster conditions ripe for terror, destruction, and the collapse of democratic institutions. While I could speak for hours about the dangers posed by the horrors of drought and famine in Central America, the Argentine economic crisis, or the turmoil in Venezuela, I will limit my comments today to the problems faced by the Andean region, and my belief that we must have a multi-faceted approach to alleviating the crisis in the region through military, humanitarian, and economic aid. The Andean region is reeling from economic crises, natural disasters, and the effects of the war against drugs.”