On the recordSeptember 22, 2011
the book of Ecclesiastes contains wisdom that should guide us today, and I am paraphrasing. This is not exactly what the Scriptures say: For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under the Sun. Or, to state it more colloquially, there is a time and place for everything. Some times are better than others; some places are better than others. My colleague from Texas offered an amendment that required the President to sell F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan. I, respectfully, note the debate on this trade adjustment assistance bill is not the appropriate time, season, or place to raise this issue. This is a trade bill. This is not about sales of F-16s to Taiwan or to any country. It is a wholly different subject. It has nothing to do with what we are trying to debate today and focus our attention on so we can get this legislation passed. The adoption of an amendment on an unrelated and controversial issue of Taiwanese arms sales would derail the carefully negotiated bipartisan agreement on trade assistance. If this amendment would pass of itself, irrespective of the merits, it would derail passage of trade adjustment assistance because it would be an amendment. So it would go over to the other body, they would have to work with it, maybe concur with it, include maybe other amendments, and it would, perhaps, come over here again.…
