Political Quotes

“I speak on behalf of the passage of the legislation which will soon be before us which will authorize the President to enter into negotiations on behalf of this Nation as it relates to trade and trade-related matters. Mr. President, we refer to this legislation as fast track. As with a number of other policy issues here in Washington, I consider these words to be nondescript. They do not convey what it is we are being asked to vote upon. This legislation first establishes a framework within which the President of the United States can conduct negotiations. In essence, it is analogous to a board of directors of an organization telling its executive that it can negotiate a particular contract but stipulating what the conditions of that contract must be and what the limits of the negotiating authority are. When that negotiation reaches a conclusion, and if that conclusion is a trade agreement, when that agreement is returned to the Congress where the Congress has a single 'yes' or 'no' vote but cannot modify the agreement, and in the case of the Senate surrender some of the prerogatives relative to extension of debate and other procedural advantages which are normally available to us as individual Members of the Senate, the question is, why will the Congress today be willing to do this? Why have Congresses over the past two or three decades been willing to pass such legislation and transfer a portion of their authority to the President?”