Byron Dorgan: “I feel this is a good debate. It is about time we had this debate in this Chamber. Many of us have wanted to have a…”

“I feel this is a good debate. It is about time we had this debate in this Chamber. Many of us have wanted to have a discussion about trade and trade issues for some long while. But the opportunity to do that has been limited. Now that fast track has been brought to the floor of the Senate is a very good and useful opportunity for that debate. A speaker a couple of hours ago came to the floor of the Senate and said the problem that he has on this issue is the American people don't understand trade. It occurs to me that the American people understand trade. They well understand the trade issue. It occurs to me that some of the people here in Washington, DC--yes, maybe even in Congress--don't understand trade. When the American people see a trade strategy that results in 21 straight years of trade deficits, getting worse year after year, setting new records year after year, I think the American people understand that there is a problem.”