David Thomas: “when the world changes, it is always difficult and sometimes painful, but the fact of the matter is, the world will…”

“when the world changes, it is always difficult and sometimes painful, but the fact of the matter is, the world will change. In this area of economic relationships, it is becoming extremely dynamic. First of all, people need to understand that the people who primarily take the floor are those who are opposed to what is going to occur. We do not ordinarily get an enormous number of people who are in support. So when we listen to the arguments that people are making as to why we should be opposed to this bill, which allows for modest importations from sub-Saharan Africa, modest adjustments for the Caribbean region, and the opportunity, for the first time, for the Andean region, which has taken significant responsibility for reducing the production of coca and, therefore, cocaine, taking away literally a cash crop and not getting anything in return, that what we are doing is reaching out to them in this bill. Mr. Speaker, T-shirts, if you will, are going to be produced somewhere in the world.”