Charles Rangel: “I rise with great pride in support of this legislation. How many bills can come before this House supported by the…”

“I rise with great pride in support of this legislation. How many bills can come before this House supported by the President of the United States, the Speaker of the House, the minority leader of the House, and the support of the leadership in the Senate? It has been long overdue that we recognize the potential in trading with Africa. And it is not just helping a people that have been excised from economic development because of colonialism, but it is certainly in our best interest to develop those markets and to be able to see, as countries rebuild themselves, that these European countries not having the priority, but the friendship would be with those that were there when they needed them. That is why it amazes me how some of the so-called friends of Africa have now found out what they think is best for Africans, when we have been working with their leadership here. African economists, African leaders have come and they have said that they want to be able to work in that same atmosphere as other countries in terms of encouraging investment and allowing the free marketplace to work for them, to support their ever-growing democracies. And yet, we have people that say, oh, no, that is not good enough for Africa. I do not know where they were with the Europeans, where they were with Asia, where they were in South America. But Africa does not need those kinds of friends now.”