Political Quotes

“Is this the one that the Clerk just read? The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman is correct. That is the amendment that the Clerk just read and addressing page 3, line 10. Pursuant to House Resolution 287, the gentleman from California and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, this amendment enacts a CBO recommendation to eliminate the trade promotion activities of the International Trade Administration to save almost $312 million. What does the ITA do exactly? Well, it has some legitimate functions enforcing trade agreements and treaties. This amendment leaves these functions untouched. But the ITA also does trade promotion activities. To quote from its own material, it ``provides counseling to American companies in order to develop the most profitable and sustainable plans for pricing, export, and the full range of public and private trade promotion assistance. . .as well as market intelligence, and industry and market specific research.'' Well, this is all well and good, but isn't that what businesses and trade associations are supposed to do and used to do with their own money? Why should taxpayers pay for the profits of private companies? If a specific business or industry is the sole beneficiary of these services, shouldn't it be the sole financier of them, either individually or collectively through trade associations?…”