Chuck Grassley: “I do want to, as I have the privilege of so often doing, express my thanks to my Democratic colleague, the ranking…”

“I do want to, as I have the privilege of so often doing, express my thanks to my Democratic colleague, the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, for his cooperation particularly on this United States-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement that we were able to unanimously report out of our committee. The reason I want to emphasize ``unanimous'' isn't just to be complimentary to Senator Baucus but also to the people of this country who think that everything done in this Congress is always so partisan, that Republicans and Democrats never get along, that we never talk to each other, that we never agree on anything. I can see why they have that impression because that is the impression the news media of America gives about the Congress of the United States. But as practical matter, nothing gets done in the Senate that isn't somewhat bipartisan, and particularly there is quite a tradition of bipartisanship in our Senate Committee on Finance. This recent bill that is before us, the United States-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement, is the latest representation of that bipartisan cooperation. I thank Senator Baucus very much. I give strong support to the bill S. 2027; that is, the United States-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act. This legislation is not only good for our U.S. economy, but it is also going to promote free trade, which is an economic issue as it creates jobs, but it also promotes democracy, and it promotes economic stability.…”