Political Quotes

“I wish to speak on the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act, S. 1619, on which I believe we will be voting. I support it, as I expect my colleague from Arizona does with his principal commitment to trade and vibrant competitive commerce in the world. I acknowledge that our commitment to commerce and trade is fundamental to our Nation. America has always been a country with open ports and open markets. When trade is conducted properly, I am convinced it creates a rising tide of prosperity in America and around the world. I am not against trade. More than that, I think the voluntary exchange of goods does promote the free exchange of ideas. Trade helped us to export our values of a free democratic society, but, like democracy itself, trade must operate under a set of rules and values. Jobs have been lost as a result of unfair trade practices. Perhaps the most dramatic unfair trade practice existing in the world today is China's very substantial manipulation of its currency--a 30-percent, 40-percent, 25-percent alteration in the value of its currency--and it has created an extraordinary deficit that has cost jobs in this country. Whether it is 2 million or fewer, it has cost jobs of decent, hard-working Americans. It has occurred because of manipulation of the currency. It is a very real matter. We need to fight for and aggressively defend every single job this country has, and we need to say no to unfair trade practices.…”