Political Quotes

“I rise today to support granting China permanent normal trade relations. The growing relationship between the United States and China has helped support my home State of North Carolina's economy and its leadership in world trade. Even without PNTR, in 1998 alone, my State exported over $215 million worth of goods, everything from stone and glass to electronics, to this market. This measure will reduce barriers to our exports and create more opportunities to support our goals. The rapidly growing Triangle area saw their exports jump 86 percent in just 5 years. Granting China PNTR will also open up their market to our high-quality North Carolina agricultural products, from tobacco, to pork, to poultry. Our Nation's economic future depends upon our access to new and growing markets and investing in our people and our technology to compete and winning in these global markets. This is an essential component of that policy. While I support the opening of the relationship with China, I, like many others today, am concerned about the human rights record. But I side with Reverend Billy Graham, who said, "I believe it is far better for us to thoughtfully strengthen positive aspects of our relationship with China than to threaten it as an adversary. It is my experience nations can respond with friendship just as much as people do," and I happen to agree with Reverend Graham.”