Garlin Gilchrist: “I appreciate the Committee on Rules understanding the nature of this international agreement to bring forth this type of…”

“I appreciate the Committee on Rules understanding the nature of this international agreement to bring forth this type of rule that does allow for one opposing view, but the importance of the agreement underscores the fact that we, as the basic author of the agreement, the United States is the basic author of the agreement, we have not given up any sovereignty whatsoever. We have encouraged other nations, other international nations to better manage the marine ecosystem. As far as his statement in reference to this bill being, this legislation being debated and formulated behind closed doors by people who are fanatics about open trade, well, first, labor groups that are supporting this legislation, environmental groups that are supporting this legislation opposed NAFTA and GATT. This legislation was created in the full light of day at public hearings in this U.S. Congress. Legislation that was adopted that we are now dealing with was not created by extreme environmental groups without any background in the marine biological sciences.”