On the recordSeptember 13, 2012
I will just say that, whether it's a company like a Medtronic or an agricultural-based company like a Cargill, which is based in my district in Minnesota as well, clearly there is the opportunity to sell American knowing that 95 percent of the world's consumers are outside of the United States. This opportunity in Russia with huge market share is going to mean more medical devices being sold in Russia. These are life-improving, these are life-saving technologies, and there is no doubt in a competitive environment that European companies are trying to access that market and are moving forward to do that. So a world-class leader like a Medtronic is going to have a vacuum unless it's able to move forward and unless Congress acts to give permanent normal trade relations.
