Political Quotes

“we will soon be debating an amendment which will define what powers the World Trade Organization will have over the ability of the American people, through their elected representatives, to determine our own fate, to make our own laws, to decide our own policies. Should we sacrifice our sovereignty, our domestic interest in order to satisfy an international tribunal? I think not and I hope that our colleagues will agree. The WTO is selectively challenging our local, State and Federal laws, saying that they are infringements on free trade. No U.S. laws or regulations are safe from the reaches of the World Trade Organization. Even at risk are sanctions laws such as the ones passed by New York City and the States of California and New Jersey which protect Nazi Holocaust victims who had their assets stolen by Swiss banks. The Swiss have already said they want a WTO ruling on such sanctions. Is nothing sacred from the clutches of the WTO? Apparently not. So along with the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Kucinich), the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Sanders), the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns), we will be offering an amendment to state that diplomacy does not mean surrender.”