Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7159, the Pacific Partnership Act, as amended, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I am proud that, in this Congress, we have been able to work in a bipartisan manner to strengthen our relationships with the Pacific Islands, from the bipartisan amendments, to the Compacts of Free Association, to the legislation before us today. These legislative efforts support the leadership of the Biden-Harris administration, which hosted two summits with the Pacific Islands at the White House, opened new embassies in the Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu, and released the first-ever U.S.-Pacific Partnership Strategy. This legislation would codify that strategy, ensuring that future administrations maintain that focus and provide other authorities to strengthen our outreach to the Pacific Islands and our coordination with allies and partners. Together, we are affirming a fundamental point: The United States is a Pacific nation. We are determined to deepen and maintain our lasting partnerships with each of the Pacific Islands, and we will do so by listening to and incorporating the principles of what the Pacific Islands have articulated themselves. That collaborative approach is reflected in this bill. I thank the gentleman from Hawaii (Mr. Case), my good friend, for his leadership and dedication to this critical region.…”