Political Quotes

“This will affect both TPP, 40 percent of the world's economy, and then a year or so later, TTIP, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, the United States-European Union agreement-- both permanent trade agreements. There is 40 percent in TPP of the world's economy, and 20 percent in TTIP of the world's economy. These are permanent trade agreements that represent a huge part of the world's economy. This bill will affect global labor standards, it will affect global environmental standards, it will affect international intellectual property standards, and more and more and more. That is why Senator Sessions has spoken out so effectively against it. That is why people in both parties are insisting they get these amendments, that they are voting against cloture until they get these amendments--Members of this body who have supported cloture in the past for a whole host of things. Why we are rushing to end debate before it has truly begun is mystifying. Regardless of whether they support or oppose the underlying bill, I hope my colleagues recognize the importance of getting fast- track legislation right--not getting it done by Memorial Day, some artificial deadline that somebody somewhere set but getting this trade legislation right. The Senate has not given the underlying bill the attention and deliberation it deserves. It has not given the amendment process the ability to--let alone to work its way through but even to get off the ground.…”