Political Quotes

“Yet as the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) so deftly pointed out, much about trade negotiations and much, not just writing these trade agreements, but actually some of the appeals in front of the tribunals and the three-judge panels at the World Trade Organization and the NAFTA tribunals and all are conducted in secret. We talk about American values. How can we talk about American values and then turn over our sovereignty on issues of public health and issues of water, as the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Stupak) in his district, which borders three of the Great Lakes, how can we turn over those decisions on environment, on food safety, as the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) said; on constitutional issues, as the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell) said. We are turning those issues over to panels who are people we do not elect, who are making decisions in secret, and then often do not have to publish their findings. And that runs exactly counter to our government, to our way of life, to our values, and to our beliefs as Americans.”