Political Quotes

“imagine that your hometown or state passes a law that promotes restitution for Holocaust victims whose gold was pulled from their mouths, melted down, and then deposited in Swiss accounts by Nazis. And imagine that the World Trade Organization, an international tribunal of unelected trade bureaucrats, decides in Geneva that the law is inconsistent with international trade and investment agreements. Then the mayor and town legislature are hauled into federal court by the administration of the United States Government. According to the GATT and NAFTA implementing legislation, the administration can sue to preempt the law and enforce the WTO decree, a power that was formerly reserved only for the United States Congress. The amendment that I offer this evening would deny funds for a Federal legal challenge against our State and local governments. I offer this amendment because Congress gave too much power to the administration by permitting it to preempt the laws of local and State governments on the grounds that they are inconsistent with international trade and investment agreements. That is the function of Congress. My amendment would effectively restore the separation of powers that has existed until 1993. It would protect important and valuable State and local laws. The administration has already stated its opposition to New York City's Holocaust victims compensation law.…”