Political Quotes

“with the exception of the single paragraph toward the beginning of the eloquent statement by the Senator from Texas, I agree, literally, with every word of her remarks. In fact, I think, as I will show to you, that single paragraph with which I disagree is totally inconsistent with the remarks of the Senator from Texas. Let me tell you why. For my first 3 years in the U.S. Senate, 1981-1984, I held hearings, drafted, worked on, discussed, and ultimately sponsored and passed the Shipping Act of 1984. Fifteen years ago, I probably could have recited it from memory. I was at that time the chairman of the subcommittee of the Commerce Committee now chaired by my esteemed friend, the Senator from Texas. The goal of the Shipping Act of 1984 was to breathe fresh air, competition, and deregulation into the worldwide system of ocean carriage of goods, at least as that carriage affected the United States. It was an industry controlled by cartels and monopolies far less interested in those whom it served than in those who provided the service--most particularly, many foreign-flagged merchant marines. I am certain when I introduced that bill for debate I made the same remarks the Senator from Texas has just made--that it was not perfect, that it did not create a purely competitive market, but that it represented a major step forward in allowing the fresh air of competition to breathe on the ocean carriage of goods.”