Political Quotes

“On the question of whether the agreement unfairly disadvantages the United States, let me reassure colleagues that other countries are not permitted to transition... The downsizing of European shipbuilding capacity is in the best interest of this Nation and the United States shipbuilding industry and should be encouraged. The special provisions result in an advantage, not a disadvantage to United States shipbuilders that wish to compete in the world shipbuilding marketplace. No other countries have received special deals. Without the OECD agreement there would be no way to monitor or control these programs. They could continue indefinitely at any level of funding for whatever purpose they chose. The Bateman amendment would not provide us with transition; it would completely and unequivocally kill the agreement and all we have achieved.”