Political Quotes

“Madam President, we were considering, earlier this morning, when I was presiding--and through much of the morning--the Small Business Innovative Research bill. Senator Landrieu and Senator Snowe are leading very well on that issue. I would like to speak for a moment about another important issue for small businesses and workers everywhere; that is, our Nation's trade and globalization agenda. As my colleagues are aware, the Generalized System of Preferences, the so-called GSP, the Andean Trade Preferences for Colombia and Ecuador, and the 2009 reforms to the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program all expired in mid-February. I do not think too many people are happy about that. I am certainly not. I have offered amendments with Senator Casey and requested unanimous consent to pass both the Andean Trade Preferences and the Trade Adjustment Assistance, but my Republican colleagues objected. Others, such as Senator McCain, requested a unanimous consent on only the Andean Trade Preferences, and I have objected. I have objected because we cannot turn our back on American workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own, only to, then, help workers in other countries. Since Congress made reforms to the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program in 2009--trade adjustment assistance has been with us since the Kennedy administration. It clearly works.…”