Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. I thank him for his hard work, and Mr. Boustany, Mr. Tiberi, and other members of the committee, who have worked hard on this legislation, and, also, Members across the aisle who have come together to build this piece of legislation presented here today. I rise in strong support, Mr. Speaker, of this important legislation. In my home State of Washington, 40 percent of jobs are tied directly to trade. We are the most trade-dependent State in the country. This bill supports that trade and those jobs through the elimination of unnecessary roadblocks U.S. companies face when exporting and importing goods and the enhanced enforcement of our laws. And it lays the groundwork for the miscellaneous tariff bill, often called the MTB, which reduces costs on American manufacturers and supports jobs across this country. I am proud that this bill includes several provisions that I have championed with colleagues across the aisle from the Pacific Northwest, including outdoor recreation apparel provisions with my colleague from the State of Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer), and the renewal of the State trade expansion program with my colleague from the State of Washington (Mr. Larsen). We have fought hard for those two provisions, and they are included in this legislation. That program helps small businesses grow by making it easier for them to sell their products across this world, which, of course, helps create jobs here in the United States.…”